of Selborne 249 



We had steady frost on to the 25th, when the 

 thermometer in the morning was down to 10 with us, 

 and at Newton only to 21. Strong frost continued till 

 the 3rst, when some tendency to thaw was observed, 

 and, by January the 3rd, 1785, the thaw was confirmed, 

 and some rain fell. 



A circumstance that I must not omit, because it was 

 new to us, is, that on Friday, December the lolh, beinp; 

 bright sun-shine, the air w^as full of icy spiculm^ floating in 

 all directions, like atoms in a sun-beam let into a dark 

 room. We thought them at first particles of the rime 

 falling from my tall hedges ; but were soon convinced to 

 the contrary, by making our observations in open places 

 where no rime could reach us. Were they watery parti- 

 cles of the air frozen as they floated ; or were they 

 evaporations from the snow frozen as they mounted ? 



We were much obliged to the thermometers for the 

 early information they gave us : and hurried our apples, 

 pears, onions, potatoes, etc., into the cellar, and warm 

 closets ; while those who had not, or neglected such 

 warnings, lost all their stores of roots and fruits, and had 

 their very bread and cheese frozen. 



I must not omit to tell you that, during those two 

 Siberian days, my parlour-cat was so electric, that had a 

 person stroked her, and been properly insulated, the 

 shock might have been given to a whole circle of 

 people. 



I forgot to mention before, that, during the two severe 

 days, two men, who were tracing hares in the snow, had 

 their feet frozen ; and two men, who were much better 

 employed, had their fingers so affected by the frost, while 

 they were thrashing in a barn, that a mortification 

 followed, from which they did not recover for many 

 weeks. 



This frost killed all the furze and most of the ivy, and 

 in many places stripped the hollies of all their leaves. It 

 came at a very early time of the year, before old Novem- 

 ber ended ; and yet it may be allowed from its effects to 

 have exceeded any since 1739-40. 



