OF SELBORNE. 
241 
pepper.'* And farther, lie adds, curled endive blanched is 
much used beyond seas ; and, for a raw sallet, seemed to 
excel lettuce itself." Now, this journey was undertaken no 
longer ago than in the year 1663. 
LETTER XXXYIII. 
TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 
" Forte puer, comitum seductus ab agmine fido, 
Dixerat, ecquis adest ? et, adest, responderat echo. 
Hie stupet ; utque aciem partes divisit in omnes, 
Voce, veni, clamat magn^. Vocat Ula vocantem." 
Selborne, Feb. 12, 1778. 
'N a district so diversified as this, so full of 
hollow vales and hanging woods, it is no 
wonder that echoes should abound. Many 
we have discovered that return the cry of a 
pack of dogs, the notes of a hunting horn, a 
tunable ring of bells, or the melody of birds, very agreeably ; 
but we were still at a loss for a polysyllabical, articulate 
echo, till a young gentleman, who had parted from his com- 
pany in a summer evening walk, and was calling after them, 
stumbled upon a very curious one in a spot where it might 
least be expected. At first he was much surprised, and 
could not be persuaded but that he was mocked by some 
boy ; but, repeating his trials in several languages, and find- 
ing his respondent to be a very adroit polyglot, he then 
discerned the deception. 
This echo, in an evening, before rural noises cease, would 
repeat ten syllables most articulately and distinctly, espe- 
cially if quick dactyls were chosen. The last syllables of 
" Tityre, tii patulse recubans- " 
were as audibly and intelligibly returned as the first ; and 
there is no doubt, could trial have been made, but that at 
E 
