THE 



ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 



LETTER I. 



IT is reasonable to suppose that in remote ages this woody and 

 mountainous district was inhabited only by bears and wolves. Whether 

 the Britons ever thought it worthy their attention, is not in our power 

 to determine ; but we may safely conclude, from circumstances, that it 

 was not unknown to the Komans. Old people remember to have heard 

 their fathers and grandfathers say that, in dry summers and in windy 

 weather, pieces of money were sometimes found round the verge of 

 Woolmer pond ; and tradition had inspired the foresters with a notion 

 that the bottom of that lake contained great stores of treasure. During 

 the spring and summer of 1740 there was little rain; and the following 

 summer also, 1741, was so uncommonly dry, that many springs and 

 ponds failed, and this lake in particular, whose bed became as dusty as 

 the surrounding heaths and wastes. This favourable juncture induced 

 some of the forest-cottagers to begin a search, which was attended with 

 such success, that all the labourers in the neighbourhood flocked to the 

 spot, and with spades and hoes turned up great part of that large area. 

 Instead of pots of coins, as they expected, they found great heaps, the 

 one lying on the other, as if shot out of a bag ; many of which were in 

 good preservation. Silver and gold these inquirers expected to find ; 

 but their discoveries consisted solely of many hundreds of Eoman 

 copper-coins, and some medallions, all of the lower empire. There was 

 not much virt& stirring at that time in this neighbourhood ; however, 

 some of the gentry and clergy around bought what pleased them best, 

 and some dozens fell to the share of the author. 



The owners at first held their commodity at an high price ; but. 

 finding that they were not likely to meet with dealers at such a rate, 

 they soon lowered their terms, and sold the fairest as they could. The 

 coins that were rejected became current, and passed for farthings at 

 the petty shops. Of those that we saw, the greater part were of Marcus 

 Aurelius, and the Empress Faustina, his wife, the father and mother 

 of Commodus. Some of Faustina were in high relief, and exhibited a 



