The Natural History of Selborne

• 1792: January 8, 1792 – Mr. Churton left us, & returned to Oxford.
• 1789: January 8, 1789 – A severe frost prevails all over the continent.
• 1788: January 8, 1788 – Old John Carpenter planted a Sycamore tree on the Plestor near the pound.  Furze blows.  The amenta of hasels open & shed their farina.  Ivy-berries swell.
• 1787: January 8, 1787 – Wheeled dung into the garden, & to the basons in Baker’s hill.  Mr Churton left us.
• 1785: January 8, 1785 – Received five gallons, & seven pints of French brandy from Mr Edmd Woods.
• 1784: January 8, 1784 – Some wild-ducks up the stream near the village.  Much wild fowl on the lakes in the forest.
• 1783: January 8, 1783 – Blowing with driving rain.  Walls sweat again.
• 1780: January 8, 1780 – Hard frost.  On this day Sr George Rodney took a large Spanish convoy off cape Finister.
• 1777: January 8, 1777 – Bottles of water frozen in chambers.  Haws frozen on the hedges & spoiled so as to be no longer of any service to the birds.
• 1770: January 8, 1770 – Frost begins to come in at a door.  The thermometer abroad sunk to 25; & in the wine-vault rose to 44.
• 1768: January 8, 1768 – My provisions are kept in the Cellar.  Birds pull the moss from ye trees.

Notes:
The BThe Royal Navy’s page on Lord George Rodney. The action at Finistere is desribed in Michael Palmer’s “Command at Sea” (thanks to Google Books). Lord Rodney will reappear next week in his better-know victory at Cape St. Vincent.