AXD ROBERT MARSHAM. 271 



by the Author of the Hist, of Selborne : for i am with 

 ^!( ;it esteem, dear Sir, your most humble 



& obliged servant, 



R: MARSHAM. 



P.S. Although last Winter & the fore-part of Spring were 

 (i think) the mildest that i remember (except the Earthquake 

 year 1750), yet I find many articles of Spring later than in 

 several colder Seasons. I find snow on y e 5 th of May. We 

 li:iv- had some drying E. wind, but hardly to be called hot. 

 The begining of June 2 or 3 days the air was thick, in small 

 degree like what you noticed in 1783. Letter 64. On the last of 

 June i found my best Oak & best Beech had each increased 

 an inch, which i find is more than my Trees had done in the 

 two years measurement, which are in the Ph. Tr. in 1758. so 

 i hope for a good year's growth : as they have two months 

 more to grow. The lateral shoots of healthy Beeches are 2 

 I'-'-t ; & one of the Copper coloured Beech is near 21 inches. 



I am with great esteem 



Dear Sir your most humble 



& obliged servant 



R: MARSHAM. 



P.S. when i wrote this i hoped for a friend to direct it ; but 

 no neighbours are come down: & i am ashamed to make you 

 pay for a leaf. I did not see i had concluded my letter before, 

 but am too lazy to write it over again ; & hope you will par- 

 don this, & the many other blunders in an old fellow of 84. 



LETTER IX. 



WHITE TO MARSHAM. 



Selborne near Alton : 



Dec r . 19. 1/91. 



DEAR SIR, 

 YOUR letter, which met me so punctually in London, w;i- 



