258 NATURAL HISTORY 



LETTER LX. 



TO THE SAME. 



IN reading Dr. Huxhain's Observations de Aere, &c., written 

 at Plymouth, I find by those curious and accurate remarks, 

 which contain an account of the weather from the year 1727 

 to the year 1748, inclusive, that though there is frequent rain 

 in that district of Devonshire, yet the quantity falling is not 

 great ; and that some years it has been very small : for in 

 1731 the rain measured only 17 ineh . 266 thou . and in 1741, 

 20354 ; and again in 1743 only 20908. 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. 1734, 37 114 : a quantity of 

 rain that has twice been exceeded at Selbome 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 of the sky, in very 

 dry seasons, arises from the want of moisture sufficient 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- 



