190 
NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
account of the weather from the year 1727 to the year 1748, inclusive, 
that though there is frequent rain in that district of Devonshire, yet the 
quantity falling is not great; and that some years it has been very 
small: for in 1731 the rain measured only 17*266 in.; and in 1741, 
20'354 in. ; and again, in 1743, only 20*908 in. Places near the sea have 
frequent scuds, that keep the atmosphere moist, yet do not reach far 
up into the country ; making thus the maritime situations appear wet, 
when the rain is not considerable. In the wettest years at Plymouth 
the doctor measured only once 36 ; and again once, viz. 1734, 37*1 14in. 
— a quantity of rain that has twice been exceeded at Selborne in the 
short period of my observations. Dr. Huxam remarks that frequent 
small rains keep the air moist ; while heavy ones render it more dry, 
by beating down the vapours. He is also of opinion that the dingy, 
smoky appearance in the sky, in very dry seasons, arises from the want 
of moisture sufficient to let the light through, and render the atmosphere 
transparent ; because he had observed several bodies more diaphanous 
when wet than dry ; and did never recollect that the air had that look 
in rainy seasons. 
My friend, who lives just beyond the top of the down, brought his 
three swivel guns to try them in my outlet, with their muzzles towards 
the Hanger, supposing that the report would have had a great effect ; 
but the experiment did not answer his expectation. He then removed 
them to the alcove on the Hanger ; when the sound, rushing along the 
Lythe and Comb Wood, was very grand : but it was at the hermitage 
that the echoes and repercussions delighted the hearers ; not only 
filling the Lythe with the roar, as if all the beeches were tearing up by 
the roots; but, turning to the left, they pervaded the vale above 
Combwood ponds ; and after a pause seemed to take up the crash again, 
and to extend round Hartley Hangers, and to die away at last among 
the coppices and coverts of Ward-le-Ham. It has been remarked before 
that this district is an Anathoth, a place of responses or echoes, and 
therefore proper for such experiments : we may farther add that the 
pauses in echoes, when they cease and yet are taken up again, like the 
pauses in music, surprise the hearers, and have a fine efi'ect on the 
imagination. 
The gentleman abovementioned has just fixed a barometer in his 
parlour at Newton Yalence. The tube was first filled here (at Selborne) 
twice with care, when the mercury agreed and stood exactly with my 
own ; but, being filled twice again at Newton, the mercury stood, on 
account of the great elevation of that house, three-tenths of an inch 
lower than the barometers at this village, and so continues to do, be the 
weight of the atmosphere what it may. The plate of the barometer at 
Newton is figured as low as 27 ; because in stormy weather the mercury 
there will sometimes descend below 28. We have supposed Newton 
House to stand two hundred feet higher than this house : but if the rule 
holds good, which says that mercury in a barometer sinks one-tenth of an 
inch for every hundred feet elevation, then the Newton barometer, by 
standing three-tenths lower than that of Selborne, proves that Newton 
House must be three hundred feet higher than that in which I am 
writing, instead of two hundred. 
