LXV.] OF SELBORNE. 189 



LETTER LXV. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINOTON. 



ON September the 21st, 1741, being then on a visit, and intent 

 on field-diversions, I rose before daybreak : when I came into 

 the inclosures, I found the stubbles and clover-grounds matted 

 all over with a thick coat of cobweb, in the meshes of which a 

 copious and heavy dew hung so plentifully that the whole face 

 of the country seemed, as it were, covered with two or three 

 setting-nets drawn one over another. When the dogs attempted 

 to hunt, their eyes were so blinded and hoodwinked that they 

 could not proceed, but were obliged to lie down and scrape the 

 incumbrances from their faces with their fore-feet, so that, find- 

 ing my sport interrupted, I returned home, musing in my mind 

 on the oddness of the occurrence. 



As the morning advanced the sun became bright and warm, 

 and the day turned out one of those most lovely ones which no 

 season but the autumn produces, cloudless, calm, serene, and 

 worthy of the South of France itself. 



About nine an appearance very unusual began to demand our 

 attention, a shower of cobwebs falling from very elevated regions, 

 and continuing, without any interruption, till the close of the 

 day. These webs were not single filmy threads, floating in the 

 air in all directions, but perfect flakes or rags ; some near 

 an inch broad, and five or six long, which fell with a degree 

 of velocity that showed they were considerably heavier than the 

 atmosphere. 



On every side, as the observer turned his eyes, might he behold 

 a continual succession of fresh flakes falling into his sight, and 

 twinkling like stars as they turned their sides towards the sun. 



How far this wonderful shower extended it would be difficult 

 to say; but we know that it reached Bradley, Selborne, and 

 Alresford, three places which lie in a sort of triangle, the shortest 

 of whose sides is about eight miles in extent. 



