XXll 
NEW LETTERS. 
fSelborne, Jan : Id : 1791. 
(To Thomas Bai{kek, Esq,) 
Deah Sik, 
As the year 1790 is just at an end, I send 
Eain in 1790. you tlie rain of that period, which, I trust, has 
been regularly measured. Nov. and Dec. as you 
see, were very wet, with many storms, that in 
various places had occasioned much damage. The 
fall of rain from Nov. 19 to the 22, inclusive, was 
prodigious ! The thunder storm on Dec. 23 in the 
morning before day was very aweful : but, I thank 
God, it did not do us any the least harm. Two 
millers, in a wind- mill on the Sussex downs near 
Good-wood, were struck dead by lightning that 
morning ; and part of the gibbet on Hind-head, 
on which two murderers were suspended, was 
beaten down. I am not sure that I was awaked 
soon enough to hear the wliole storm : between 
the flashes that I saw and the thunder, I counted 
from 10 to 14 seconds. 
In consequence of my Nat. Hist. I continue to receive 
various letters from various parts ; and in particular from a Mr. 
Marsham of Stratton near Norwich, an aged Gent : w^ho has 
published in the R. S. respecting the growth of trees. Do you 
know any thing about this person ? He is an agreeable corre- 
spondent. He is sucli an admirer of oaks, that he has been 
twice to see the great oak in the Holt. 
W. Chander, and family, who came at first only with an in- 
tent to stay with us a few months ; have now taken the vicarage 
house for some time. The Dr. is much busied in writing tlie 
life of his founder, William Wainflete : he lives a very studious, 
and domestic life, keeps no horse, and visits few people. We 
have just received tlie agreeable ncAvs that Mrs. Clement was 
safely delivered, last Wednesday, of a boy, her 8th child, which 
Jan : 
199 
Feb: 
49 
Mar: 
45 
Ap: 
364 
May 
438 
June 
13 
July 
324 
Aug. 
230 
Sep. 
66 
Oct. 
210 
Nov. 
695 
Dec. 
594 
3227 
