Those laurels that were a little scorched on the south-sides
were perfectly untouched on their north-sides. The care taken to
shake the snow day by day from the branches seemed greatly to
avail the author's evergreens. A neighbour's laurel-hedge, in a high
situation, and facing to the north, was perfectly green and vigorous;
and the Portugal laurels remained unhurt.
As to the birds, the thrushes and blackbirds were mostly destroyed;
and the partridges, by the weather and poachers, were so thinned
that few remained to breed the following year.
Letter LXIII
To The Honourable Daines Barrington
As the frost in December, 1784, was very extraordinary, you, I
trust, will not be displeased to hear the particulars; and especially
when I promise to say no more about the severities of winter after I
have finished this letter.
The first week in December was very wet, with the barometer very
low. On the 7th, with the barometer at 28-five-tenths, came on a
vast snow, which continued all that day and the next, and most part
of the following night; so that by the morning of the 9th the works
of men were quite overwhelmed, the lanes filled so as to be
impassable, and the ground covered twelve or fifteen inches
without any drifting.
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