OF SELBORNE. 21 



bidentibus exceptis. The reason, I presume, why sheep p are 

 excluded, is, because, being such close grazers, they would 

 pick out all the finest grasses, and hinder the deer from 

 thriving. 



Though (by statute 4 and 5 W. and Mary) c. 23. " to burn 

 " on any waste, between Candlemas and Midsummer, any grig, 

 "ling, heath and furze, goss or fern, is punishable with whip- 

 " P m g and confinement in the house of correction ;" yet, in this 

 forest, about March or April, according to the dryness of the 

 season, such vast heath-fires are lighted up, that they often 

 get to a masterless head, and, catching the hedges, have some- 

 times been communicated to the underwoods, woods, and 

 coppices, where great damage has ensued. The plea for these 

 burnings is, that, when the old coat of heath, &c. is consumed, 

 young will sprout up, and afford much tender brouze for 

 cattle ; but, where there is large old furze, the fire, following 

 the roots, consumes the very ground ; so that for hundreds of 

 acres nothing is to be seen but smother and desolation, the 

 whole circuit round looking like the cinders of a volcano ; 

 and, the soil being quite exhausted, no traces of vegetation 

 are to be found for years. These conflagrations, as they take 

 place usually with a north-east or east wind, much annoy this 

 village with their smoke, and often alarm the country ; and, 

 once in particular, I remember that a gentleman, who lives 

 beyond Andover, coming to my house, when he got on the 

 downs between that town and Winchester, at twenty-five 

 miles distance, was surprised much with smoke and a hot 

 smell of fire; and concluded that Alresford was inflames; but, 

 when he came to that town, he then had apprehensions for the 

 next village, and so on to the end of his journey. 



On two of the most conspicuous eminences of this forest, 

 stand two arbours or bowers, made of the boughs of oaks ; the 

 one called Waldon-lodge, the other Brimstone-lodge: these 

 the keepers renew annually on the feast of St. Barnabas, 



For this privilege the owner of that estate used to pay to the long 

 annually seven bushels of oats. 



P In The Holt, where a full stock of fallow-deer has been kept up till 

 lately, no sheep are admitted to this day. 



