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164 The Natural History 



LETTER XXIII 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Sclborne, June 8 1775. 



Dear Sir, 

 On September the 21st, 1741, being then on a visit, and 

 intent on field-diversions, I rose before daybreak : when 

 I came into the enclosures, I found the stubbles and 

 clover-grounds matted all over with a thick coat of cob- 

 web, in the meshes of which a copious and heavy dew 

 hung so plentifully that the whole face of the country 

 seemed, as it were, covered with two or three setting-nets 

 drawn one over another. When the dogs attempted to 

 hunt, their eyes were so blinded and hoodwinked that 

 they could not proceed, but were obliged to lie down 

 and scrape the incumbrances from their faces with their 

 fore-feet, so that, finding my sport interrupted, I returned 

 home musing in my mind on the oddness of the occur- 

 rence. 



As the morning advanced the sun became bright and 

 warm, and the day turned out one of those mo:>t lovely 

 ones which no season but the autumn produces ; cloud- 

 less, calm, serene, and worthy of the South of France 

 itself. 



About nine an appearance very unusual began to 

 demand our attention, a shower of cobwebs falling from 

 very elevated regions, and continuing, without any inter- 

 ruption, till the close of the day. These webs were not 

 single filmy threads, floating in the air in all directions, 

 but perfect flakes or rags ; some near an inch broad, 

 and five or six Imig, which fell with a degree of velocity 

 which showed they were considerably heavier than the 

 atmosphere. 



On every side as the observer turned his eyes might 

 he behold a continual succession of fresh flakes falling 

 into his sight, and twinkling like stars as they turned 

 their sides towards the sun. 



