THAWS. 291 



of milder weather ; and, moreover, moles began to heave and 

 work, and a manifest thaw took place. From the latter cir- 

 cumstance, we may conclude, that thaws often originate 

 under ground from warm vapours which arise, else how 

 should subterraneous animals receive such early intimations 

 of their approach ? Moreover, we have often observed 

 that cold seems to descend from above : for when a thermo- 

 meter hangs abroad in a frosty night, the intervention of a 

 cloud shall immediately raise the mercury ten degrees ; and 

 a clear sky shall again compel it to descend to its former 

 gauge. 



And here it may be proper to observe, on what has been 

 said above, that though frosts advance to their utmost 

 severity by somewhat of a regular gradation, yet thaws do 

 not usually come on by as regular a declension of cold; 

 but often take place immediately from intense freezing; 

 as men in sickness often mend at once from paroxysm. 



To the great credit of Portugal laurels and American 

 junipers, be it remembered, that they remained untouched 

 amidst the general havoc : hence men should learn to orna- 

 ment chiefly with such trees as are able to withstand acci- 

 dental severities, and not subject themselves to the vexation 

 of a loss which may befal them once, perhaps, in ten years, 

 yet may hardly be recovered through the whole course of 

 their lives. 



As it appeared afterwards, the ilexes were much injured, 

 the cypresses were half destroyed, the arbutuses lingered on, 

 but never recovered ; and the bays, laurustines, and laurels, 

 were killed to the ground ! and the very wild hollies, in hot 

 aspects, were so much affected, that they cast all their 

 leaves. 



By the fourteenth of January, the snow was entirely gone; 

 the turnips emerged, not damaged at all, save in sunny places: 

 the wheat looked delicately ; and the garden plants were well 

 preserved ; for snow is the most kindly mantle that infant 

 vegetation can be wrapped in : were it not for that friendly 

 meteor, no vegetable life could exist at all in northerly regions. 

 Yet in Sweden, the earth in April is not divested of snow for 

 more than a fortnight, before the face of the country is 

 covered with flowers. 



u2 



