298 
NATURAL HISTORY 
A circnmftance that I muft not omit, becaufe it was new to us,, 
is, that on Friday, December the loth, being bright fun-lhine, the 
air was full of icy fpicuLe, floating in all diredions, like atoms in 
a fun-beam let into a dark room. We thought them at firfh 
particles of the rime falling from my tall hedges ; but were foon 
convinced to the contrary, by making our obfervations in open 
places where no rime could reach us. Were they watery particles 
of the air frozen as they floated ; or were they evaporations from 
the fnow frozen as they mounted ? 
We were much obliged to the thermometers for the early in- 
formation they gave us ; and hurried our apples, pears, onions, 
potatoes, &c. into the cellar, and warm clofets ; while thofe who 
had not, or negledted fuch warnings, loft all their ftore of roots 
and fruits, and had their very bread and cheefe frozen. 
I muft not omit to tell you that, during thofe two Siberian days, 
my parlour-cat was fo ele6lric, that had a perfon ftroked her, and 
■been properly wfulated, the fhock might have been given to a 
whole circle of people. 
I forgot to mention before, that, during the two fevere days, 
two men, who were tracing hares in the fnow, had their feet frozen; 
and two men, who were much better employed, had their fingers 
■fo affedled by the froft, while they were thrafl:i!ng in a barn, that a 
mortification followed, from which they did not recover for many 
v.-eeks. 
This froft killed all the furze and moft of the ivy, and in many 
places ftripped the hollies of all their leaves. It came at a very 
early time of the year, before old Kovemher ended ; and yet may 
be allowed from it's eftefts to have exceeded any fmce 1739-40. 
LETTER 
