The Natural History of Selborne

Much wheat-land not sown yet; because men are afraid to sow their corn in the dust.  Some water still in the pond on Selborne down; & the pond on Newton-farm, over the hedge, is half-full.  No drought, equal to the present, has been known since autumn 1740, which being preceeded by a dry summer & spring, & the terrible long frost of winter 1739, exhausted most of the wells & ponds, & distressed the country greatly.