OF SELBORNE. 217 



Your supposition that there may be some natural 

 obstruction in singing birds while they are mute, and 

 that when this is removed the song recommences, is 

 new and bold; I wish you could discover some good 

 grounds for this suspicion. 



I was glad you were pleased with my specimen of the 

 Caprimulgus, or fern owl ; you were, I find, acquainted 

 with the bird before. 



When we meet, I shall be glad to have 9o.me conver- 

 sation with you concerning the proposal you make of 

 my drawing up an account of the animals in this neigh- 

 bourhood. Your partiality towards my small abilities 

 persuades you, I fear, that I am able to do more than is 

 in my power: for it is no small undertaking for a man 

 unsupported and alone to begin a natural history from 

 his own autopsia ! Though there is endless room for 

 observation in the field of nature, which is boundless, 

 yet investigation (where a man endeavours to be sure 

 of his facts) can make but slow progress ; and all that 

 one could collect in many years would go into a very 

 narrow compass. 



Some extracts from your ingenious " Investigations 

 of the Difference between the present Temperature of 

 the Air in Italy," &c. have fallen in my way ; and gave 

 me great satisfaction: they have removed the objections 

 that always arose in my mind whenever I came to the 

 passages which you quote. Surely the judicious Virgil, 

 when writing a didactic poem for the region of Italy, 

 could never think of describing freezing rivers, unless 

 such severity of weather pretty frequently occurred ! 



P. S. Swallows appear amidst snows and frost. 



