384 NATURAL HISTORY 



feet higher than the latter ; and with good reason, be- 

 cause the streams that rise with us run into the Thames 

 at Weybridge, and so to London. Of course therefore 

 there must be lower ground all the way from Selborne 

 to South Lambeth ; the distance between which, all 

 the windings and indentings of the streams considered, 

 cannot be less than a hundred miles. 



I am, &c. 



LETTER LXI. 



TO THE SAME. 



SINCE the weather of a district is undoubtedly part of 

 its natural history, I shall make no further apology for 

 the four following letters, which will contain many par- 

 ticulars concerning some of the great frosts and a few 

 respecting some very hot summers, that have distin- 

 guished themselves from the rest during the course of 

 my observations. 



As the frost in January, 1768, was, for the small time 

 it lasted, the most severe that we had then known for 

 many years, and was remarkably injurious to ever- 

 greens, some account of its rigour, and reason of its 

 ravages, may be useful, and not unacceptable to persons 

 that delight in planting and ornamenting ; and may 

 particularly become a work that professes never to 

 lose sight of utility. 



For the last two or three days of the former year 

 there were considerable falls of snow, which lay deep 

 and uniform on the ground, without any drifting, wrap- 

 ping up the more humble vegetation in perfect security. 

 From the first day to the fifth of the new year more 

 snow succeeded ; but from that day the air became 

 entirely clear ; and the heat of the sun about noon had 

 a considerable influence in sheltered situations. 



It was in such an aspect that the snow on the author's 



