RAIN. 313 



the deep beechen woods of Tisted and Ropley. We 

 remember a little girl, who, as she was going to bed, 

 used to remark on such an occurrence, in the true 

 spirit of physico-theology, that the rooks were saying 

 their prayers ; and yet this child was much too 

 young to be aware that the Scriptures have said of 

 the Deity, that " he feedeth the ravens who call upon 

 him/' 



LETTER CIV. 



TO THE SAME. 



IN reading Dr. Huxham's Observationes de Aere, 

 &c., written at Plymouth, I find, by those curious 

 and accurate remarks, which contain an account of 

 the weather from the year 1727 to the year 1748, 

 inclusive, that though there is frequent rain in that 

 district of Devonshire, yet the quantity falling is 

 not great ; and that some years it has been very 

 small; for in 1731^ the rain measured only 17 inch. 

 266 thou . ; and in 1741, 20*354 ; and again, in 1743, 

 only 20*908. Places near the sea have frequent 

 scuds, that keep the atmosphere moist, yet do not 

 reach far up into the country ; making thus the 

 maritime situations appear wet, when the rain is not 

 considerable. In the wettest years at Plymouth, 

 the doctor measured only once 36 ; and again once, 

 viz., 1734, 37*114 ; a quantity of rain that has twice 

 been exceeded at Selborne in the short period of my 

 observations. Dr. Huxham remarks, that frequent 

 small rains keep the air moist ; while heavy ones 

 render it more dry, by beating down the vapours. 

 He is also of opinion, that the dingy smoky appear- 

 ance in the sky, in very dry seasons, arises from the 



