OF SELBORNE 247 



bodies and smaller limbs of such minute beings are not 

 frozen is a matter of curious inquiry. 



Severe frosts seem to be partial, or to run in currents ; 

 for, at the same juncture, as the author was informed by 

 accurate correspondents, at Lyndon in the county of 

 Rutland, the thermometer stood at 19: at Blackburn, in 

 Lancashire, at 19: and at Manchester at 21, 20, and 18. 

 Thus does some unknown circumstance strangely over- 

 balance latitude, and render the cold sometimes much 

 greater in the southern than in the northern parts of this 

 kingdom. 



The consequences of this severity were, that in Hamp- 

 shire, at the melting of the snow, the wheat looked well, 

 and the turnips came forth little injured. The laurels and 

 laurustines were somewhat damaged, but only in hot 

 aspects. No evergreens were quite destroyed ; and not 

 half the damage sustained that befell in January 1768. 

 Those laurels that were a little scorched on the south-sides 

 were perfectly untouched on their north-sides. The care 

 taken to shake the snow day by day from the branches 

 seemed greatly to avail the author's evergreens. A neigh- 

 bour's laurel-hedge, in a high situation, and facing to the 

 north, was perfectly green and vigorous ; and the Portugal 

 laurels remained unhurt. 



As to the birds, the thrushes and blackbirds were mostly 

 destroyed ; and the partridges, by the weather and poachers, 

 were so thinned that few remained to breed the following 

 year. 



LETTER LXIII 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



As the frost in December 1784 was very extraordinary, 

 you, I trust, will not be displeased to hear the particulars ; 

 and especially when I promise to say no more about the 

 severities of winter after I have finished this letter. 



