1774 A FLOOD AT SELBOENE 239 



with me this day to tell me that from this day forward 

 he relinquished all business to Mr. Webb. 



The barometer is very irregular of late: we have now 

 this day hard frost with the mercury at 29-2, and our last 

 frost (which lasted from the 30th of December 'til January 

 5th inclusive) began with the barometer at 29 4 All last 

 Saturday afternoon and night, and all Sunday there was 

 a most extraordinary rain from the N., which perhaps 

 was snow northward. Mr. and Mrs. Yalden were here, 

 and stayed all Saturday night. On Sunday there was such 

 a flood down at the pond, that Thomas and I were over the 

 calves of our legs before we got to Peter Wells's; where 

 we were told that if we proceeded any further our horses 

 would swim. So we returned back : and the rain followed 

 on so the whole day, that I omitted going to my church 

 at all the first time for weather since I have undertaken 

 Faringdon cure. People tell me they have known as big 

 a flood, but never one that lasted so long. On Sunday 

 evening it snowed, and then froze hard. Pray tell me 

 a little about your frosts and weather : what birds do you 

 see? Wild geese, I suppose: have you any wagtails in 

 winter? and what other small birds? You will enliven, 

 I hope, your fauna with some dissertations and an agree- 

 able Journal; and some comparisons between the climates, 

 &c., of Andalusia and Great Britain. Poor old Miller is 

 very lame still. Jack joins in best respects. 



Y" aff.. 

 Pray write soon. Gil. White. 



To the Rev. John White, ^ ,, ^, ^ ^^^, 



Selborne, Feb. 4, 1774. 



Dear Brother, — By your writing so very quick your last 

 letter arrived much sooner than I could have expected. 

 Since I wrote to you I have talked with Mr. Kobinson the 

 Curate of Colmer, and he informs me that he has not the 



