THE REV. JOHN WHITE. 23 



29*22 ; and our last frost (which lasted from the 30th of 

 December till January 5th inclusive) began with the baro- 

 meter at 29'4. All last Saturday afternoon and night, and 

 all Sunday there was a most extraordinary rain from the N. 

 which perhaps was snow northward. Mr. and Mrs. Y. were 

 here and stayed all Saturday night. On Sunday there was 

 such a flood down at the Pond, that Thomas and I were over 

 the calves of our legs before we got to Peter WehVs ; where 

 we were told that if we proceeded any further our horses 

 would swim. So we returned back; and the rain followed 

 on so the whole day, that I omitted going to my church at all, 

 the first time for weather since I have undertaken Faringdon 

 cure. People tell me they have known as big a flood, but 

 never one that lasted so long. On Sunday evening it snowed, 

 and then froze hard. Pray tell me a little about your frosts, 

 and weather ; what birds do you see ? Wild geese, I suppose : 

 have you any wagtails in winter ? and what other small birds ? 

 You will enliven, I hope, your fauna with some dissertations 

 and an agreeable journal, and some comparisons between the 

 climates, &c. of And[alusia] and Great Britain. Poor old 

 Miller is very lame still. Pray write soon. Jack joins in best 

 respects. 



Yours aff. 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER X. 



Selborne, Feb. 4, 1774. 

 DEAR BROTHER, 



BY your writing so very quickly, your last letter arrived 

 much sooner than I could have expected. Since I wrote to 

 you I have talked to Mr. Robinson the curate of Colmer; and 

 he informs me that he has not the least doubt but at the end 

 of the summer he shall be able to take my cure off my hands 

 for some considerable time by the following means. The 

 owner of Colmer living, a young man in the N. is, it seems, 

 to take orders this summer, and to supply his own church. 



