NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 217 



have-not been but lately, used in England, viz. selleri (celery), 

 which is nothing else but the sweet smallage ; the young shoots 

 whereof, with a little of the head of the root cut off, they eat raw 

 with oil and pepper ; " and further adds : " curled endive blanched 

 is much used beyond seas ; and, for a raw sallet, seemed to excel 

 lettuce itself." Now this journey was undertaken no longer ago 

 than in the year 1663, \ 



I am, c. 



LETTER XXXVIII. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, Feb. \*th, 1778. 

 " Forte puer, comitum seductus ab agmine fido, 

 Dixerat, ecquis adest ? et, adest, resp^nderat echo, 

 Hie stupet ; utque aciem partes divisit in omnes ; 

 Voce, veni, clamat magna. Vocat ilia vocamemi" 



DEAR SIR, In a district so diversified as this, so full of hollow 

 vales and hanging woods, it is no wonder that echoes should 

 abound. Many we have discovered that return the cry of a pack 

 of dogs, the notes of a hunting-horn, a tunable ring of bells, or the 

 melody of birds very agreeably ; but we were still at a loss for a 

 polysyllabical articulate echo, till a young gentleman, who had 

 parted from his company in a summer evening walk, and was 

 calling after them, stumbled upon a very curious one in a spot 

 where it might least be expected. At first he was much surprised, 

 and could not be persuaded but that he was mocked by some boy ; 

 but repeating his trials in several languages, and finding his 

 respondent to be a very adroit polyglot, he then discerned the 

 deception. 



This echo in an evening before rural noises cease, would repeat 

 ten syllables most articulately and distinctly, especially if quick 

 dactyls were chosen. The last syllables of 



" Tityre, tu patulae recubans . . ." 



were as audibly and intelligibly returned as the first ; and there is 

 no doubt, could trial have been made, but that at midnight when 



*" Chance parts the youth from his companions dear, 

 He cries ' Who's here ? ' and Echo answers ' Here ; ' 

 He stares around, and fur a while stands dumb. 

 Then shouts cut, 'Come, and Echo answers ' Come,' 



