38 
1736 was a very early year ; violets were in bloom in December, 
1735. Swallows were seen, many of which remained till the 30th 
of September, and one was seen on the 7th of October. The 
record of this year is very brief. 
1779. January. “ A severe storm on the 1st, with some snow,” 
then to the end open and mild ; 22nd mild, and 23rd mild, like 
May. 
February. “ This was the finest February I ever remember ; 
not one flake of snow, and hardly ice, and so mild, the thermometer 
was sometimes up to 30 of Linnoeus,* and so dry, as no rain to be 
called a shower.” March. “ A continuation of the mild and dry 
February — much like May for pleasantness. ” April. “ First 
fifteen days clear and fine ; the rest cooler, with some showers.” 
May. “ Alternate periods of dry and showery weather. Wind 
for the five months — S., S.W. and W., 73 days; N. and JST. W., 
28 days; N.E., E., and S.E., 50 days.” 
1794. January. “Nearly all frost, with very little snow.’’ 
February. “ Kind month, and mild, hardly any snow.” March. 
“ Uncommonly fine.” April. “ The warmest and finest I remem- 
ber.” May. “ A dry, cold month, the last half like Christmas.” 
The springs of the following years were also early beyond the 
average:— 1736, 1747, 1751, 1752, 1775, 1781, 1790, 1800, 1804, 
1806, 1809, and 1810. 
1751 was a very variable spring. January, and to the middle 
of February, was very severe weather. March the finest I ever 
remember, only two days with the wind in an easterly direction ; 
then April , very unpleasant, with frosts, and wind in easterly 
direction for 21 days. May fine, and showers. 
1757. “July was very hot; 6th, thermometer, 40; 9th, 41 ; 
10th, 46 ; 11th, 47 ; 12tli, near 46 ; 13th, near 47 ; 14th, very near 
50. t This, I think, was the hottest day I ever felt in England, 
* I cannot find that any thermometric scale was named after Linnaeus. 
Centigrade can hardly be intended, as 30 deg. centigrade would be 86 deg. 
Farenheit. 
t The thermometer here used is probably that of Fowler ; it is thus 
described— “ The thermometer has 5 inches divided into 75 degrees above 
temperate ; and 6 inches f below temperate, divided into 100 deg. The 
spirit at 80 was about an inch from the bottom.” Fowler’s 0 = 53| Faren- 
heit, which would be the temperate spoken of,— 34 = + 32 of Far., and 
-f 250 4 boiling point. Near 50 of Fowler would be near S6 Far. 
