The Natural History of Selborne

London.  When I came to town I found that herrings were out of season, but sprats, which Ray says are undoubtedly young herrings, abounded in such quantities, that in these hard times they were a great help to the poor.  Cods & haddocks in plenty: smelts beginning to come in.  The public papers here abounded with accounts of most severe & early frosts, not only in the more Northern parts of Europe, but on the Rhine, & in Holland.  The news of severe weather usually reaches us some days before the cold arrives; which most times follows soon when we hear of rigorous cold on the Continent.