200 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



at 64, and at noon at 70, the barometer at 29-61, and the wind 

 north, I observed a blue mist, smelling strongly of sulphur, hanging 

 along our sloping woods, and seeming to indicate that thunder was 

 at hand. I was called in about two in the afternoon, and so missed 

 seeing the gathering of the clouds in the north ; which they who were 

 abroad assured me had something uncommon in its appearance. At 

 about a quarter after two the storm began in the parish of Hartley, 

 moving slowly from north to south ; and from thence it came over 

 Norton-farm, and so to Grange-farm, both in this parish. It began 

 with vast drops of rain, which were soon succeeded by round hail, and 

 then by convex pieces of ice, which measured three inches in girth. 

 Had it been as extensive as it was violent, and of any continuance (for 

 it was very short), it must have ravaged all the neighbourhood. In 

 the parish of Hartley it did some damage to one farm ; but Norton, 

 which lay in the center of the storm, was greatly injured ; as was 

 Grange, which lay next to it. It did but just reach to the middle 

 of the village, where the hail broke my north windows, and 

 all my garden-lights and hand-glasses, and many of my neighbours' 

 windows. The extent of the storm was about two miles in length and 

 one in breadth. We were just sitting down to dinner ; but were soon 

 diverted from our repast by the clattering of tiles and the jingling of 

 glass. There fell at the same time prodigious torrents of rain on the 

 farms above-mentioned, which occasioned a flood as violent as it was 

 sudden ; doing great damage to the meadows and fallows, by deluging 

 the one and washing away the soil of the other. The hollow lane 

 towards Alton was so torn and disordered as not to be passable till 

 mended, rocks being removed that weighed two hundred weight. 

 Those that saw the effect which the great hail had on ponds and pools 

 say that the dashing of the water made an extraordinary appearance, 

 the froth and spray standing up in the air three feet above the surface. 

 The rushing and roaring of the hail, as it approached, was truly 

 tremendous. 



Though the clouds at South Lambeth, near London, were at that 

 juncture thin and light, and no storm was in sight, nor within hearing, 

 yet the air was strongly electric ; for the bells of an electric machine at 

 that place rang repeatedly, and fierce sparks were discharged. 



When I first took the present work in hand I proposed to have added 

 an " Annus Historico-naturalis, or The Natural History of the Twelve 

 Months of the Year ; " which would have comprised many incidents 

 and occurrences that have not fallen in my way to be mentioned in my 

 series of letters ; but, as Mr. Aikin of Warrington has lately published 

 somewhat of this sort, and as the length of my correspondence has 

 sufiiciently put your patience to the test, I shall here take a respectful 

 leave of you and natural history together, and am, 

 With all due deference and regard, 



Your most obliged and most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 

 SELBORNE, 

 June 25th, 17S7. 



