OF SELBORNE. 323 



LETTER XXIIL 



TO THE SAME. 



DEAR SIR; Selborne, June 8, 1775. 



On September the 21st, 1741, being then 

 on a visit, and intent on field-diversions, I 

 rose before day-break : when I came into 

 the enclosures, I found the stubbles and 

 clover-grounds matted all over w^ith a thick 

 coat of cobweb, in the meshes of w^hich a 

 copious and heavy devv^ hung so plentifully 

 that the v^hole face of the country seemed, 

 as it w^ere, covered with two or three set- 

 ting-nets drawn one over another. When 

 the dogs attempted to hunt, their eyes were 

 so blinded and hoodwinked that they could 

 not proceed, but were obliged to lie down 

 and scrape the incumbrances from their 

 faces with their fore feet, so that, finding 

 ray sport interrupted, I returned home 



Y 2 



