OF SELBORNE 239 



only once 2^ ^ ^"^ 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 

 appearance of the sky, in very dry seasons, arises from the 

 want of moisture sufficient to let the light through, and 

 render the atmosphere transparent ; because he had 

 observed several bodies more diaphanous when wet than 

 dry ; and did never recollect that the air had that look in 

 rainy seasons. 



My friend, who Hves just beyond the top of the down, 

 brought his three swivel guns to try them in my outlet, 

 with their muzzles towards the Hanger, supposing that 

 the report would have had a great effect ; but the experi- 

 ment did not answer his expectation. He then removed 

 them to the Alcove on the Hanger ; when the sound, 

 rushing along the Lythe and Comb-wood, was very grand: 

 but it was at the Hermitage that the echoes and reper- 

 cussions delighted the hearers ; not only filling the Lythe 

 with the roar, as if all the beeches were tearing up by the 

 roots ; but, turning to the left, they pervaded the vale 

 above Combwood-ponds ; and after a pause seemed to 

 take up the crash again, and to extend round Harteley- 

 hangers, and to die away at last among the coppices and 

 coverts of Ward le ham. It has been remarked before 

 that this district is an anathoth, a place of responses or 

 echoes, and therefore proper for such experiments: we 

 may farther add that the pauses in echoes, when they cease 

 and yet are taken up again, Hke the pauses in music, sur- 

 prise the hearers, and have a fine effect on the imagination. 



The gentleman above mentioned has just fixed a 

 barometer in his parlour at Newton Valence. The tube 

 was first filled here (at Selborne) twice with care, when the 

 mercury agreed and stood exactly with my own ; but, 

 being filled again twice at Newton, the mercury stood, on 

 account of the great elevation of that house, three-tenths 

 of an inch lower than the barometers at this village, and 



