OF SELBORNE 9 



that they look more like water-courses than roads ; and are 

 bedded with naked rag for furlongs together. In many places 

 they are reduced sixteen or eighteen feet beneath the level of 

 the fields ; and after floods, and in frosts, exhibit very grotesque 

 and wild appearances, from the tangled roots that are twisted 

 among the strata, and from the torrents rushing down their broken 

 sides ; and especially when those cascades are frozen into icicles, 

 hanging in all the fanciful shapes of frost-work. These rugged 

 gloomy scenes affright the ladies when they peep down into them 

 from the paths above, and make timid horsemen shudder while 

 they ride along them ; but delight the naturalist with their 

 various botany, and particularly with their curious Jilices with 

 which they abound. 



The manor of Selborne, was it strictly looked after, with all it's 

 kindly aspects, and all it's sloping coverts, would swarm with 

 game ; even now hares, partridges, and pheasants abound ; and 

 in old days woodcocks were as plentiful. There are few quails, 

 because they more affect open fields than enclosures ; after 

 harvest some few land -rails are seen. 



The parish of Selborne, by taking in so much of the forest, is 

 a vast district. Those who tread the bounds are employed part 

 of three days in the business, and are of opinion that the outline, 

 in all it's curves and indentings, does not comprise less than 

 thirty miles. 



The village stands in a sheltered spot, secured by The Hanger 

 from the strong westerly winds. The air is soft, but rather moist 

 from the effluvia of so many trees ; yet perfectly healthy and free 

 from agues. 



The quantity of rain that falls on it is very considerable, as 

 may be supposed in so woody and mountainous a district. As my 

 experience in measuring the water is but of short date, I am not 

 qualified to give the mean quantity. 1 I only know that 



1 A very intelligent gentleman assures me (and he speaks from upwards of forty 

 years' experience) that the mean rain of any place cannot be ascertained till a 

 person has measured it for a very long period. " If I had only measured the rain," 

 says he, "for the four first years, from 1740 to 1743, I should have said the mean 

 " rain at Lyndon was 16^ inch, for the year ; if from 1740 to 1750, 18^ inches. The 

 "mean rain before 1763 was 20^; from 1763 and since, 25 ; from 1770 to 1780, 

 "26. If only 1773, ^77^ an d J 77S had been measured, Lyndon mean rain would 

 " have been called 32 inches." 



[The gentleman here alluded to was Thomas Barker, Esq. , of Lyndon Hall, in 

 the county of Rutland, Gilbert White's brother-in-law. -&?//. 



Bell found the average for twenty-five years (1850-1874) to be 32*074 in., which 

 is much above the average for England.] 



