The Natural History of Selborne 387 



clarions, and crows to clamour, as prognostic of milder 

 weather; and, moreover, moles began to heave and work, 

 and a manifest thaw took place. From the latter circum- 

 stance we may conclude that thaws often originate under 

 ground from warm vapours which arise; else how should 

 subterraneous animals receive such early intimations of their 

 approach. Moreover, we have often observed that cold 

 seems to descend from above ; for when a thermometer hangs 

 abroad in a frosty night, the intervention of a cloud shall 

 immediately raise the mercury 10; and a clear sky shall 

 again compel it to descend to its former gage. 1 



And here it may be proper to observe, on what has been said 

 above, that though frosts advance to their utmost severity by 

 somewhat of a regular gradation, yet thaws do not usually 

 come on by as regular a declension of cold, but often take 

 place immediately from intense freezing; as men in sickness 

 often mend at once from a paroxysm. 



To the great credit of Portugal laurels and American juni- 

 pers, be it remembered that they remained untouched amidst 

 the general havoc : hence men should learn to ornament 

 chiefly with such trees as are able to withstand accidental 

 severities, and not subject themselves to the vexation of a 

 loss which may befall them once perhaps in ten years, yet 

 may hardly be recovered through the whole course of their 

 lives. 



As it appeared afterwards, the ilexes were much injured, 

 the cypresses were half destroyed, the arbutuses lingered on, 

 but never recovered ; and the bays, laurustines, and laurels, 

 were killed to the ground ; and the very wild hollies, in hot 

 aspects, were so much affected that they cast all their 

 leaves. 



By the I4th of January the snow was entirely gone; the 

 turnips emerged not damaged at all, save in sunny places ; 

 the wheat looked delicately, and the garden plants were well 



1 This is a first indication of the importance of radiation, and of the 

 value of clouds as an earth-blanket, since so fully worked out by Tyn- 

 dall.-Er>. 



