slumbers by a little untimely warmth, and therefore that nothing so much
promotes its death-like stupor as a defect of heat. And farther, it is
reasonable to suppose that two whole species, or at least many
individuals of those two species of British hirundines, do never leave
this island at all, but partake of the same benumbed state; for we cannot
suppose, that after a month's absence, house-martins can return from
southern regions to appear for one morning in November, or that house-
swallows should leave the districts of Asia to enjoy in March the
transient summer of a couple of days.

I am, etc.

LETTER XXXVII.

SELBORNE, _Jan._ 8_th_, 1778.

Dear Sir,--There was in this village several years ago a miserable
pauper, who from his birth was afflicted with a leprosy, as far as we are
aware of a singular kind, since it affected only the palms of his hands
and the soles of his feet. This scaly eruption usually broke out twice
in the year, at the spring and fall; and, by peeling away, left the skin
so thin and tender that neither his hands nor feet were able to perform
their functions; so that the poor object was half his time on crutches,
incapable of employ, and languishing in a tiresome state of indolence and
inactivity. His habit was lean, lank, and cadaverous. In this sad
plight he dragged on a miserable existence, a burden to himself and his
parish, which was obliged to support him till he was relieved by death at
more than thirty years of age.

The good women, who love to account for every defect in children by the
doctrine of longing, said that his mother felt a violent propensity for
oysters, which she was unable to gratify; and that the black rough scurf
on his hands and feet were the shells of that fish. We knew his parents,
neither of which were lepers; his father in particular lived to be far
advanced in years.

In all ages the leprosy has made dreadful havoc among mankind. The
Israelites seem to have been greatly afflicted with it from the most
remote times, as appears from the peculiar and repeated injunctions given
them in the Levitical law. Nor was the rancour of this foul disorder
much abated in the last period of their commonwealth, as may be seen in
many passages of the New Testament.

Some centuries ago this horrible distemper prevailed all Europe over: and
our forefathers were by no means exempt, as appears by the large
provision made for objects labouring under this calamity.