200 
NATURAL HISTORY OE SELBORNE. 
at 64°, and at noon at 70°, the barometer at 2 9 '61°, and the wind 
north, I observed a blue mist, smelling strongly of sulphur, hanging 
along our sloping woods, and seeming to indicate that 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 appearance. 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 
Norton-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 Plartley it did some damage to one farm ; but Norton, 
which lay in the center 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 the hail broke my north windows, and 
all my garden-lights and hand-glasses, and many of my neighbours' 
windows. 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 clattering 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. The hollow lane 
towards Alton was so torn and disordered as not to be passable till 
mended, rocks being removed that weighed two hundred weight. 
Those that saw the effect which the great hail had on ponds and pools 
say that the dashing of the water made an extraordinary appearance, 
the froth and spray standing up in the air three feet above the surface. 
The rushing and roaring of the hail, as it approached, was truly 
tremendous. 
Though the clouds at South Lambeth, near London, were at that 
juncture thin and light, and no storm was in sight, nor within hearing, 
yet the air was strongly electric ; for the bells of an electric machine at 
that place rang repeatedly, and fierce sparks were discharged. 
When I first took the present work in hand I proposed to have added 
an "Annus Historico-naturalis, or The Natural History of the Twelve 
Months of the Year ; " which would have comprised many incidents 
and occurrences that have not fallen in my way to be mentioned in my 
\ series of letters ; but, as Mr. Aikin of Warrington has lately published 
I somewhat of this sort, and as the length of my correspondence has 
sufficiently put your patience to the test, I shall here take a respectful 
leave of you and natural history together, and am. 
With all due deference and regard. 
Your most obliged and most humble servant, 
GIL. WHITE. 
Selborne, 
June 25th, 17S7« 
