40 LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER 



practice of gratifying such barbarians with elegant presents, 

 and the Moors turning Dollond's perspectives into walking- 

 sticks, would furnish matters for agreeable reflection. Dr. 

 Johnson has just published his journey through the Western 

 Isles. I have read it ; and you should read it. It is quite a sen- 

 timental journey, divested of all natural history and antiqui- 

 ties, but full of good sense, and new and peculiar reflections. 

 It does not at all interfere w r ith Mr. Pennant's book. 



John Neal and Dame Knight are dead. Berriman lies in 

 the same sad deplorable way. Mrs. Snooke writes me word 

 that she has been better than usual this mild winter. 



For some days past we have had great rains and blustering 

 weather. This morning it is very wet and stormy ; the ther- 

 mometer at 50, the barom. 28*7. Every sunny day, insects 

 abound, and in warm lanes and under hedges the air swarms 

 with them. Within doors wood-lice, spiders, and Lepisnice are 

 in motion, and many Muscce in the stable ; earthworms come 

 forth every mild evening ; so that in mild winters insects are 

 not so much laid up as is imagined. Some Phalcence fly also 

 all the winter. * * * On Jan. 20th many rooks were 

 caught, it is said, by a man near Hackwood Park; their 

 wings, as he affirms, were frozen together by a wet sleet then 

 falling. Pray write soon. 



Respects as due. Your affect. 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER XIX. 



Fyfield, March 9, 1775. 

 DEAR BROTHER, 



As you have long experienced that I am not usually a tardy and 

 negligent correspondent, you will, I suppose, conclude that 

 something has happened to prevent my writing sooner, as really 

 has been the case. I have had an heat and stiffness in my 

 eyes from over much reading, that made writing very irksome 

 for some time ; they are now pretty well recovered again. 



