THE 



NATURAL HISTORY 



OF 



SELBORNE. 



PART I. LETTER I. 



THE parish of Selborne lies in the extreme eastern 

 corner of the county of Hampshire, bordering on 

 the county of Sussex, and not far from the county 

 of Surrey; is about fifty miles south-west of 

 London, in latitude 5 1 , and near midway between 

 the towns of Alton and Peterfield. Being very 

 large and extensive, it abuts on twelve parishes, 

 two of which are in Sussex, viz. Trotton and 

 Rogate. If you begin from the south, and pro- 

 ceed westward, the adjacent parishes are Emshot, 

 Newton Valence, Faringdon, Harteley, Mauduit, 

 Great War d-le -ham, Kingsley, Hedleigh, Bramshot, 

 Trotton, Rogate, Lysse, and Greatham. The soils 

 of this district are almost as various and diversified 

 as the views and aspects. The high part to the 

 south-west consists of a vast hill of chalk, rising 

 three hundred feet above the village ; and is 

 divided into a sheep down, the high wood, and a 

 long hanging wood, called the Hanger. The covert 

 of this eminence is altogether beech, the most 

 lovely of all forest trees, whether we consider its 

 smooth rind, or bark, its glossy foliage, or graceful 

 B 2 



