OF SELBORNE. 159 



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 so torn and disordered 

 as not to be passable till mended, rocks 

 being removed that weighed 200 weight. 

 Those that saw the effect which the great 

 hail had on ponds and pools say that the 

 dashing of the water made an extraordi- 

 nary appearance, the froth and spray stand- 

 ing up in the air three feet above the sur- 

 face. 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 



