ex.] 
OF SELBORNE. 
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 thunderstorm from the 
south, I do not mean that we never have suffered from tlmnder- 
storms at all; for on June 5th, 1784, the thermometer in the 
morning being at 64°, and at noon, at 70^ the barometer at 
29° — six-tenths one-half, and the wind north, I observed a blue 
mist, smelling strongly of sulphur, hanging along our sloping 
woods, and seeming to indicate tliat thunder was at hand. I 
was called in about two in the afternoon, and so missed seeing 
the gathering of the clouds in the north; which they who were 
abroad assured me had something uncommon in its appear- 
ance. At about a quarter after two, the storm began in the 
parish of Hartley, moving slowly from north to south ; and 
from thence it came over JSTor ton-farm, and so to Grange-farm, 
both in this parish. It began with vast drops of rain, which 
were soon succeeded by round hail, and then by convex pieces 
of ice, which measured three inches in girth. Had it been as 
extensive as it was violent, and of any continuance (for it was 
very short), it must have ravaged all the neighbourhood. In the 
parish of Hartley it did some damage to one farm ; but ISTorton, 
which lay in the centre of the storm, was greatly injured ; as 
was Grange, which lay next to it. It did but just reach to the 
middle of the village, where tJie hail broke my north windows, 
and all my garden-lights and hand-glasses, and many of my 
neighbours' Avindows. The extent of the storm was about two 
miles in length and one in breadth. We were just sitting down 
to dinner ; but were soon diverted from our repast by the clat- 
tering of tiles and the jingling of glass. There fell at the same 
time prodigious torrents of rain on the farms above mentioned, 
which occasioned a flood as violent as it was sudden ; doing 
great damage to the meadows and fallows, by deluging the one 
and washing away the soil of the other. Tlie hollow lane 
towards Alton was so torn and disordered as not to be passable till 
mended, rocks being removed that weighed two hundredweight. 
Those that saw the effect which the great hail had on ponds 
and pools, say that the dashing of the water made an extra- 
ordinary appearance, the froth and spray standing up in the air 
