I must not omit to tell you that, during those two Siberian days, my
parlour-cat was so electric, that had a person stroked her, and been
properly insulated, the shock might have been given to a whole
circle of people.
I forgot to mention before, that, during the two severe days, two
men, who were tracing hares in the snow, had their feet frozen; and
two men, who were much better employed, had their fingers so
affected by the frost, while they were thrashing in a barn, that a
mortification followed, from which they did not recover for many
weeks.
This frost killed all the furze and most of the ivy, and in many
places stripped the hollies of all their leaves. It came at a very early
time of the year, before old November ended; and yet it may be
allowed from its effects to have exceeded any since 1739 - 40.
Letter LXIV
To The Honourable Daines Barrington
As the effects of heat are seldom very remarkable in the northerly
climate of England, where the summers are often so defective in
warmth and sunshine as not to ripen the fruits of the earth so well
as might be wished, I shall be more concise in my account of the
severity of a summer season, and so make a little amends for the
prolix account of the degrees of cold, and the inconveniences that
we suffered from late rigorous winters.
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