THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 245 
the air was full of icy sfzcu/e, floating in all directions, like 
atoms in a sunbeam let into a dark room. We thought them 
at first particles of the rime falling from my tall hedges; but 
were soon convinced to the contrary, by making our observa- 
tions 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 snow frozen as they mounted? 
We were much obliged to the thermometers for the early ' 
information they gave us; and hurried our apples, pears, 
onions, potatoes, etc., into the cellar, and warm closets; while 
those who had not, or neglected such warnings, lost all their store 
of roots and fruits, and had their very bread and cheese frozen. 
I must not omit to tell you that, during these two Siberian 
days, my parlor cat was so electric, that had a person stroked 
her, and been properly insulated, the shock might have been 
' given to a whole circle of people. 
I forgot to mention before that, during the two severe days, 
two men, who were tracing hares in the snow, had their feet 
frozen, and two men, who were much better employed, had 
their fingers so affected by the frost, while they were thrashing 
in a barn, that a mortification followed, from which they did 
not recover for many weeks. 
This frost killed all the furze and most of the ivy, and in 
many places stripped the hollies of all their leaves. It came 
_ at avery early time of the year, before old November ended ; 
and yet may be allowed from its effects to have exceeded any 
since 1730-40. 
BETTER ils. 
As the effects of heat are seldom very remarkable in the 
northerly climate of England, where the summers are often so 
defective in warmth and sunshine as not to ripen the fruits of 
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