OF SELBORNE. 339 



wood, and find plenty in the bogs. When 

 this moss is well-combed and dressed, and 

 divested of its outer skin, it becomes of a 

 beautiful bright-chesnut colour; and, being 

 soft and pliant, is very proper for the dust- 

 ing of beds, curtains, carpets, hangings, &c. 

 If these besoms were known to the brush- 

 makers in town, it is probable they might 

 come much in use for the purpose above- 

 mentioned.* I am, &c. 



LETTER XXVII. 



TO THE SAME. 

 DEAR SIR; Selborne, Dec. 12, 1775. 



We had in this village more than twenty 

 years ago an idiot-boy, whom I well remem- 

 ber, who, from a child, showed a strong 

 propensity to bees ; they were his food, his 



* A besom of this sort is to be seen in Sir Ashton 

 Lever's Museum. 



z 2 



