The Natural History of Selborne

Finished shovelling the path to Newton. Dame Loe came to help.

Shoveled out the bostal.  Snow very deep still.

My apples, pears, & potatoes secured in the cellar, & kitchen-closet; my meat in the cellar.  Severe frost, & deep snow.  Several men, that were much abroad, made sick by the cold; their hands, & feet were frozen.  We hung-out two thermometers, one made by Dollond, & one by B: Martin: the latter was graduated only to 4 below ten, or 6 degrees short of zero: so that when the cold became intense, & our remarks interesting, the mercury went all into the ball, & the instrument was of no service.

Extreme frost!!!  yet still bright sun.  At 11 one degree below zero.  On the 9th and 10th of Decr when my Thermr was down at 0, or zero; & 1 degree below zero: Mr Yalden’s Thermr at Newton was at 12, & 22.  On Dec, 24, when my Thermr was at 10 1/2 that at Newton was at 22, & 19.  At Newton, when hung side by side, these two instruments accorded exactly.  Thomas Hoar shook the snow carefully off the evergreens.  The snow fell for 24 hours, without ceasing.  The ice in one night in Gracious street full four inches!  Bread, cheese, meat, potatoes, apples all frozen where not secured in cellars under ground.

Much snow in the night.  Vast snow.  Snow 16 inches deep on my grass-plot about 12 inches at an average.  Farmer Hoar had 41 sheep buried in snow.  No such snow since Jan. 1776.  In some places much drifted.

Dismally dark: no wind with this very sinking glass.

Timothy is buried we know not where in the the laurel hedge.

Haws in such quantities that they weigh down the white-thorns.

Brother Thomas, & his daughter, & two sons came.  The chaise that brought some of them passed along the king’s high road into the village by Newton lane, & down the N. field hill; both of which have had much labour bestowed on them, & are now very safe.  This is the first carriage that ever came this way.  Planted tulips again in the borders; & the small off-sets in a nursery-bed.

No acorns, & very few beech-mast.  No beech-mast last year, but acorns  innumerable.