[ * 9 * ] 
ground ; and, in fhort, left in fuch a (battered, 
mangled condition, as fcarce any defcription can give 
you an adequate idea of. 
The change in the face of the country was very 
furprifing in one (ingle night : for, to complete the 
difmally-defolate fcene, the feveral tribes of vege- 
tables (in all their verdure the day before), as if 
blaAed with aethereal fire, hung down their drooping - 
heads. Every herb, every plant, every flower, had 
its leaves withered, lhrivelled up, and turned black. 
The leaves upon the trees, efpecially on the weather 
fide, fared in the fame manner. The evergreens- 
alone feem to have efcaped. The grafs alfo, in a. 
few days time, recovered itfelf in a great meafure. 
I agreed at firA with the generality of people in 
their opinion, that lightning had done all this mif- 
chief : but upon recollecting, that there had not 
been much feen any where, in many places none at 
all, but that the cffeCt was general- (i), as far as 
ever the wind had reached ; I began to think, that 
fome other cauie might probably be afligned. Ac- 
cordingly, I fet myfelf immediately to examining 
the dew or rain, which had fallen on the grals, win- 
dows, &c. in hopes of being enabled, by its tafle, 
to form fome better judgment of the fulphureous or 
nitrous particles (or of whatever other quality they 
were), with which the air was fo Arongly impregnated 
that night, as to produce fuch Arange effeCts. Nor was 
I deceived in my expectations : for, upon taAing it,, 
(i ) Upon inquiry, I find, that no fuch thing was taken notice of 
in Northumberland ; fo it probably has not extended any further: 
to the eaft ward, than the ikuts of our own county. 
I. found 
