154 CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS FAMILY. 



two persons is I think well illustrated by a very striking 

 passage in the book of Revelations, Chap. 6, where Death is 

 seen riding on a pale horse and Hades follows to swallow up 

 the dead. 



All here join in respects to yourself and Mrs. White; and 

 I remain 



Your obliged and affectionate nephew, 



SAMUEL BARKER. 



LETTER XL. 



TO MRS. BARKER. 



Selborne, Oct. 19, 1784. 

 DEAR SISTER, 



FROM the fineness of the weather and the steadiness of the 

 wind to the N.E. I began to be possessed with a notion last 

 Friday that we should see Mr. Blanchard in his balloon the 

 day following ; and therefore I called on many of my neigh- 

 bours in the street, and told them my suspicions. The next 

 day proving also bright, and the wind continuing as before, I 

 became more sanguine than ever; and issuing forth in the 

 morning, exhorted all those that had any curiosity to look 

 sharp about one o' the clock to three towards London, as they 

 would stand a good chance of being entertained with a very 

 extraordinary sight. That day I was not content to call at 

 the houses only; but I went out to the plowmen and labourers 

 in the fields and advised them to keep an eye to the IS", and 

 and N.E. at times. I wrote also to Mr. Pink * of Faringdon, 

 to desire him to look about him. But about one o'clock there 

 came up such a haze that I could not see the Hanger. How- 

 ever, not long after, the mist cleared away in some degree, and 

 people began to mount the hill. I was busy in and out 'till a 



* [See note by Rev. Edmund White, p. 156. T. B.] 



