245 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
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 173] the rain 
measured only i7inch._266^^^"- and in 174 J, 20 — 354 ; and again 
in 1743 only 20 — 908. 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 — 114: a quantity of rain that has twice been exceeded at 
Seiborne in the short period of my observations. Dr. Huxham 
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 suffi- 
cient to let the light through, and render the- atmosphere trans- 
parent; 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 Harteley-hangers, and to die away at last among the cop-^ 
pices 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 further 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 effect on the imagination. 
The gentleman above-mentioned has just fixed a barometer 
in his parlour at Newton Valence. The tube was first filled here 
(at Seiborne) twice with care, when the mercury agreed and stood 
exactly with my own ; but, being filled again twice at Newton, the 
