OF SELBORNE. 



157 



of that Summer. The only way that T can 

 at all account for this fact — -for such it is 

 — is, that on that quarter, between us and 

 the sea, there are continual mountains, hill 

 behind hill, such as Nore-hill, the Barnet, 

 Butter- Hill, and Ports-down, which some 

 how divert the storms, and give them a 

 different direction. High promontories, 

 and elevated grounds, have always been 

 observed to attract clouds, and disarm them 

 of their mischievous contents, which are 

 discharged into the trees and summits as 

 soon as they come in contact with those 

 turbulent meteors ; while the humble vales 

 escape, because they are so far beneath 

 them. 



But when I say I do not remember a 

 thunder-storm from the south, I do not 

 mean that we never have suffered from 

 thunder-storms at all ; for on June 5th, 

 1784, the thermometer in the morning 

 being at 64, and at noon at 70, the baro- 

 meter at 29 — six tenths one-half, and the 

 wind north, I observed a blue mist, smell- 

 ing strongly of sulphur, hanging along our 



