482 ^f' Barker's Regifter of 



The froil, which began at Chriflmas laft year, continued, 

 except a few thawing days, till February 21, and was very 

 fevere, and with frequent fnow. Some thought it the hardeft 

 winter fuice 1740; but that may be hard to determine, Ja- 

 nuary 1776 feems to have been rather colder than this; but 

 the froft lafted only a month. In 1780 the froft was not out 

 of the ground for nine or ten weeks ; but it was not fo fteady 

 as this. It was certainly one of the mildeft winters before 

 Chriftmas, and one of the fevereft after it ; yet the corn and 

 other plants did not fuffer fo much as might be feared. After 

 the froft there was fome warm, windy, (howery weather ; but 

 moft part of March was frofty mornings, and was often fo in- 

 the fhade all day ; and at the latter end ftrong cold winds, 

 with fnow and perfe6l winter ; and it did not much mend till 

 near the middle of April. ' 



While in January and February moft parts of Europe had 

 fevere froft, the fouthern parts of it feem to have had great 

 ftorms and floods ; and, at the breaking of the froft, the flat 

 countries by the fides of the great rivers of Europe fuffered 

 much by floods and ice. 



The latter half of April the weather mended, and things> 

 came on gradually, yet with frequent frofty mornings till the 

 firft week in May ; then, for three weeks, one of the fineft 

 and hotteft Mays ever known ; every thing before was exceed- 

 ing backward, but now came on at a vaft rate ; the grafs and 

 leaves were remarkably green, a great bloftbm year, and plenty 

 of fruit. This hot weather brought up thunder, which turned 

 the weather wet near the end of May, and it was wet Or 

 ihowery and cool all June; this brought on the corn again, 

 which was made rather thin by fo much heat too early. Near 

 the firft two thirds of July was agnin fine and hot, and being 



