ECHOES. BABOMETER. 287 



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 mari- 

 time 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. in 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 fre- 

 quent 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 in the sky, in 

 very dry seasons, arises from the want of moisture suffi- 

 cient 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 lives 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 experiment 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 repercussions 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 per- 

 vaded the vale above Comb-wood 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 cop- 

 pices 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 further add, that the pauses in echoes, when they cease, 

 and yet are taken up again, like the pauses in music, surprise 

 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 eleva- 

 tion of that house, three-tenths of an inch lower than the 



