LXV.] 
OF SELBORNE. 
LETTEE LXV. 
TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRING TON. 
On September the 21st, 1741, being then on a visit, and intent 
on field-diversions, I rose before daybreak : when I came into 
the inclosures, I found the stubbles and clover-grounds matted 
all over with a thick coat of cobweb, in the meshes of which a 
copious and heavy dew hung so plentifully that the whole face 
of the, country seemed, as it were, covered wdtli two or three 
setting-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 oljhged to lie down and scrape the 
incumbrances from tlieir faces with their fore-feet, so that, find- 
ing my sport interrupted, I returned home, musing in my mind 
on the oddness of the occurrence. 
As the morning advanced the sun l^ecame bright and warm, 
and the day turned out one of those most lovely ones which no 
season but the autumn produces, cloudless, calm, serene, and 
worthy of the South of France itself. 
About nine an appearance very unusual began to demand our 
attention, a shower of cobwebs falling from very elevated regions, 
and continuing, without any interruption, till the close of the 
day. These webs were not single filmy threads, floating in the 
air in all directions, but perfect flakes or rags ; some near 
an inch broad, and fi\'e or six long, wdiich fell with a degree 
of velocity that showed tliey were considerably heavier than the 
atmosphere. 
On every side, as the observer turned his eyes, might he behold 
a continual succession of fresh flakes falling into his sight, and 
twinkling like stars as they turned tlieir sides towards the sun. 
How far this wonderful shower extended it would be difficult 
to say ; but we know that it reached Bradley, Selborne, and 
Ab-esford, tliree i)]a-ces >\ hich lie in a sort of triangle, the shortest 
of whose sides is (ibout eiglit miles in extent. 
