302 CONCLUSION. 



measured three inches in girth. Had it been as extensive 

 as it was violent, and of any continuance (for it was very 

 short), it must have ravaged all the neighbourhood. In the 

 parish of Hartley, it did some damage to one farm ; but 

 Norton, which lay in the centre of the storm, was greatly 

 injured ; as was Grange, which lay next to it. It did but 

 just reach to the middle of the village, where the hail broke 

 my north windows, and all my garden lights, and hand- 

 glasses, and many of my neighbours' windows. The extent 

 of the storm was about two miles in length, and one in 

 breadth. We were just sitting down to dinner ; but were 

 soon diverted from our repast by the clattering of tiles and 

 the jingling of glass. There fell at the same time prodigious 

 torrents of rain on the farms above mentioned, which occa- 

 sioned a flood as violent as it was sudden; doing great 

 damage to the meadows and fallows, by deluging the one, 

 and washing away the soil of the other. The hollow lane 

 towards Alton was torn and disordered as not to be passable 

 till mended, rocks being removed that weighed two hundred 

 weight. Those that saw the effect which the great hail had on 

 the ponds and pools, say that the dashing of the water made 

 an extraordinary appearance, the froth and spray standing up 

 in the air three feet above the surface. The rushing and 

 roaring of the hail, as it approached, was truly tremendous. 



Though the clouds at South Lambeth, near London, were 

 at that juncture thin and light, and no storm was in sight, 

 nor within hearing, yet the air was strongly electric ; for the 

 bells of an electric machine at that place rang repeatedly, 

 and fierce sparks were discharged. 



When I first took the present work in hand, I proposed 

 to have added a&Annus-IIistorico-Naturalis, or the Natural 

 History of the Twelve Months of the Year ; which would 

 have comprised many incidents and occurrences that have 

 not fallen into my way to be mentioned in my series of 

 letters ; but as Mr. Aiken of Warrington has lately pub- 

 lished somewhat of this sort, and as the length of my 

 correspondence has sufficiently put your patience to the 

 test, I shall here take a respectful leave of you and Natural 

 History together. And am, with all due deference and regard, 

 Your most obliged, and most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



SELBORNE, Jwne 25, 1 787. 



