382 PECULIARITIES OF 



stretched itself along the top of the wall, but how 

 far it had extended, when in perfection, is uncertain^ 

 being broken away when I saw it first. The wood 

 of the ash, when burned in a green state, will emit 

 a fragrance like that which proceeds from the vio- 

 let or mezerion, and this it will diffuse in particular 

 states of the air to a considerable distance, a pro- 

 perty that, I believe, is not observable in any other 

 British wood : it is in the country only that we can 

 be sensible of this, and it is particularly to be per- 

 ceived in passing through a village when the cotta- 

 gers are lighting their fires, or by a farm-house, 

 when this wood, fresh cloven, or newly lopped off, is 

 burning ; as the wood dries, this sweet smell is in 

 great measure exhaled with the moisture, for in this 

 state we are not sensible of any odour arising from 

 it different from other woods. 



THE YEAR 1825. 



WE are naturally solicitous to look back upon sea- 

 sons remarkable for atmospheric phenomena, and 

 compare their results with those passing before 

 us, though we may be fully sensible that no con- 

 clusions can safely be drawn from them, a variety 

 of circumstances not known, or not comprehended, 

 combining to produce results beyond our means of 

 calculation. There have been times when such re- 



