NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 287 



and disordered as not to be passable till mended, rocks being 

 removed that weighed two hundred-weight. Those that saw the 

 effect which the great hail had on ponds and pools say that the 

 dashing of the water made an extraordinary appearance, the froth 

 and spray standing up in the air three feet above the surface. 

 The rushing and roaring of the hail, as it approached, was truly 

 tremendous. 



Though the clouds at South Lambeth, near London, were at 

 that juncture thin and light, and no storm was in sight, nor 

 within hearing, yet the air was strongly electric ; for the bells of 

 an electric machine at that place rang repeatedly, and fierce 

 sparks were discharged. 



When I first took the present work in hand I proposed to have 

 added an " Annus Historico-naturalis, or The Natural History of 

 the Twelve Months of the Year ; " which would have comprised 

 many incidents and occurrences that have not fallen in my way to 

 be mentioned in my series of letters ; but, as Mr. Aikin of War- 

 rington has lately published somewhat of this sort, and as the 

 length of my correspondence has sufficiently put your patience 

 to the test, I shall here take a respectful leave of you and natural 

 history together, 1 and am, 



With all due deference and regard, 



Your most obliged and most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



SELBORNE, 

 June 2$th, 178 



NOTE TO LETTER LXVI. 



1 White certainly did not "take leave ot natural history," for his love of 

 Nature was as keen as ever until he died. 



