120 CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS FAMILY. 



was a rime. At S. Lambeth it was at 7. It froze under our 

 beds in London ! 



Thanks for your information respecting Mercury. Pray 

 throw out all sorts of Nat. hints. I have employed the keeper 

 of Domes-day Book to transcribe all relating to Selborne; and 

 am to pay kd.per line: besides I have apply ed for a transcript 

 of all relating to the Priory in Magd. Coll. archives. Pray 

 send me word what rivers were frozen in Italy ; were they in 

 Lombardy or in the more S. parts ? Virgil in the Georg. 

 mentions freezing rivers. Mr. Gibbon, a Hants Gent, pub- 

 lishes next week his 1 st vol. in 4 to of a Hist, of the latter Rom. 

 Empire ; there will be 4 vols. in all. I conclude respectively 

 Your affectionate Bro., Uncle, & Bro r , 



GIL. WHITE. 



Respects to family. 



Mr. Gibbon begins with Trajan *. Pray write soon. 



LETTER XVIII. 



FROM THOMAS BARKER TO GILBERT WHITE. 



Lyndon, Feb. 13, 1776. 



REV. SIR, 



WE received your three letters in one ; and as you desire to 

 hear before you go out of town, I here sit down to write one. 

 I find your cold was greater than ours. January 20 was 

 remarkable : it was a cloudy morning, and as long as it con- 

 tinued so the cold was moderate ; but as soon as it cleared up 

 about noon it grew sharper, and at eight at night it got down 

 to 11, after which it rose again. You asked Sam his opinion 

 of the west and south exposure : he may tell you his opinion ; 

 and I will tell you mine. The south-west sides of trees do 

 not suffer at all here, nor in most places where I go ; but I 



* [Gibbon resided near Petersfield, and appears to have been well 

 known to Gilbert White. The first volume of his celebrated work was 

 published on Feb. 17, 1776. T. B.] 



