AND THE REV. R CHURTON. 191 



loss to say which will make the most hideous picture. I 

 mean the popery of the darker ages *. 



LETTER V. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, Dec, 19, 1780. 



DEAR SIR, 



BY your letter of the 14 th to Dr. Chandler, which the Dr. has 

 communicated to me, I am glad to find that you are so well 

 disposed to make me a visit, and hope you will meet with no 

 interruption. You will not, I hope, over-stay this unpre- 

 cedented run of fine weather, that has befallen us now for 

 more than three weeks, without rain, wind, or frost I 



If you have a friend in London to whom you can send y r 

 portmanteau, then you need only desire him to direct it for 

 you " at y e Rev d Mr. W. at Selborne, to be left at the Swan- 

 Inn at Alton, by the Southampton coach," which comes from 

 the Belle Savage-Inn on Ludgate hill; but if you have no 

 such person, then direct it to Mr. Edm d White at Mr. 

 Hounsom's mercer in Fleet-street London, to be forwarded 

 to Mr. White &c. by the Southampton coach. 



If you call at Caversham pray present my most respectful 

 compliments to Mr. Loveday, and the ladies. I have not the 

 pleasure to be known to Dr. Loveday. 



Your most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



* [At page 120, in a letter to Mr. Barker, the forthcoming work of 

 Gibbon is mentioned ; this referred to the first volume only. The allu- 

 sion in the above letter to Mr. Churton is to that further portion of the 

 history which, accordingly, made its appearance, in the second and third 

 volumes, in February 1781. T. B.] 



