When this
ceremony is over, with the last gleam of day, they retire for the
night to the deep beechen woods of Tisted and Ropley. We
remember a little girl who, as she was going to bed, used to remark
on such an occurrence, in the true spirit of physico-theology, that
the rooks were saying their prayers; and yet this child was much
too young to be aware that the scriptures have said of the Deity --
that ' he feedeth the ravens who call upon him.'
I am, etc.
Letter LX
To The Honourable Daines Barrington
In reading Dr. Huxham's Observationes de Aere, etc., written at
Plymouth, I find by those curious and accurate remarks, which
contain an account of the weather from the year 1727 to the year
1748, inclusive, that though there is frequent rain in that district of
Devonshire, yet the quantity falling is not great; and that some
years it has been very small: for in 1731 the rain measured only
17.266 in. and in 1741, 20.354 in.; and again in 1743 only 20.908
in. Places near the sea have frequent scuds, that keep the
atmosphere moist, yet do not reach far up into the country; making
thus the maritime situations appear wet, when the rain is not
considerable.
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