274 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE, 



milder weather ; and, moreover, moles began to heave and 

 work, and a manifest thaw took place. From the latter 

 circumstance we may conclude that thaws often originate 

 under ground from warm vapours which arise; else how 

 should subterraneous animals receive such early intimations 

 of their approach % Moreover, we have often observed that 

 cold seems to descend from above ; for, when a thermometer 

 hangs abroad in a frosty night, the intervention of a cloud 

 shall immediately raise the mercury 10° ; and a clear sky 

 shall again compel it to descend to its former gauge. 



And here it may be proper to observe, on what has been 

 said above, that though frosts advance to their utmost 

 severity by somewhat of a regular gradation, yet thaws do 

 not usually come on by as regular a declension of cold ; but 

 often take place immediately from intense freezing ; as 

 men in sickness often mend at once from a paroxysm. 



To the great credit of Portugal laurels and American 

 junipers, be it remembered that they remained untouched 

 amidst the general havoc : hence men should learn to orna- 

 ment chiefly with such trees as are able to withstand 

 accidental severities, and not subject themselves to the 

 vexation of a loss which may befall them once perhaps in 

 ten years, yet may hardly be recovered through the whole 

 course of their lives. 



As it appeared afterwards, the ilexes were much injured, 

 the cypresses were half destroyed, the arbutuses lingered 

 on, but never recovered ; and the bays, laurustines, and 

 laurels were killed to the ground ; and the very wild 

 hollies, in hot aspects, were so much affected that they cast 

 all their leaves. 



By the 14th January the snow was entirely gone; the 

 turnips emerged not damaged at all, save in sunny places ; 

 the wheat looked delicately, and the garden plants were 



