The Natural History of Selborne

Blanchard & Miss Simonet ascended.

The dust on the roads insufferable!  Saw one swift.  Two house-martins in Fleet street.

Quick-set hedges look green.  Roads are choaked with dust.  Swallows frequent houses: some sit & dress themselves on trees, as if wet, & dirty.

My brother Thom. made his melon-bed.  Red-start sings.

Radishes dry, & hot.

My brother Tho: planted his potatoes.  He sowed purple broccoli.  My brother cut four cucumbers.  His plants, & Benjamin’s, are strong, & in good order.

The large shivering willow-wren.  The Cuckow is heard this day.

Hot sun. Muddy sky. Goose-berries & honey-suckles begin to bud, & look green. Pronged the asparagus beds. My fine jasmine is dead. Timothy the tortoise roused himself from his winter-slumbers & came forth. He was hidden in the laurel-hedge under the wall-nut tree, among the dead leaves.

Farmers wish much for rain.

Snow hangs in the trees, & makes a perfect winter scene!