The Natural History of Selborne

Rime-covered beeches, by Richardfabi, courtesy of Wikimedia.

• 1790: December 25, 1790 – H. & Ben Woods left us.
• 1789: December 25, 1789 – Our rivulets were much flooded; &  the water at Oakhanger ran over the bridge, which in in old days was called tun-bridge.
• 1787: December 25, 1787 – The snow, where level, about one foot in depth: in some places much drifted.
• 1784: December 27, 1784 – Stagg, the keeper, who inhabits the house at the end of Wolmer Pond, tells me that he has seen no wild-fowl on that lake during the whole frost; & that the whole expanse is entirely frozen up to such a thickness that the ice would bear a waggon.  500 ducks are seen some times together on that pond.
• 1782: December 25, 1782 – The boys at Faringdon play in the church-yard in their shirts.  They did so this day twelve-month.
• 1781: December 25, 1781 – Sun, bright, & pleasant.  A gardener in this village has lately cut several large cauliflowers, growing without any glasses.  The boys are playing in their shirts.  On this day Admiral Kempenfelt fell in with a large convoy from Brest, & took a number of French transports.
• 1779: December 25, 1779 – Vast rime, strong frost, birght, & still, fog.  The hanging woods when covered with a copious rime appear most beautiful & grotesque.
• 1768: December 25, 1768 – Wheat comes up well.  Lavants seem to abate.

Notes:

Today’s entries demonstrate the long eclipse of Christmas celebrations in the 18th century. It was not until the Victorians that it regained its importance on the calendar. The cauliflowers grown ‘without glasses’, means without what we would now call a cloche, which would be used to protect tender plants against frost. The capture of the French ships, as far as I can figure, actually took place on the 12 of December and was known as the Battle of Ushant, part of the global colonial sparring between France, England, and Spain. Admiral Kempenfelt commanded The Victory in this battle, a ship that was to become famous under Nelson. The admiral reappears in more unfortunate circumstances in a 1782 entry recording the loss of the Royal George.