LETTER VIII 11 



You gaess'd right, we are all in Town ; but my Mama was 

 hurried up hither on a melancholy Occasion, her Mother was 

 dangerously ill ; You may guess how bad she was, when I tell 

 You that tho' She is thought out of Danger, She is as totally 

 helpless as an Infant : I have not yet seen Her, & was lucky in 

 being absent & ignorant of ye Agony and Confusion of our whole 

 Family. You know something of my Mother, and therefore know 

 that besides ye Effect of such an afflicting Scene, a vigilant atten- 

 dance in a sick Room must have had a bad Influence on Her ; 

 She is not well, & consequently we are not happy. 



I am not quite satisfied with Well's* match, I am afraid He 

 marries thro' Pique more than Love : I heartily wish Him well, 

 & would be glad to make ye Visit with You. Mr Bentham lately 

 exhorted me to appear for an Exhibition which is vacant ; but 

 my uncle not thinking it necessary, I shall not take his advice. 

 I believe I am oblig'd to Him for it. If I had met with Success I 

 should have thrown out Carter, which I don't desire to do ; if 

 not, I think one Repulse is enough, which I fear I shall meet at 

 Easter. I am very much concern'd for poor Jo : Warton & his 

 Family,t & not ye least for poor Jenny. I should be glad to hear 

 she was well married. I made your Brother J at Whiston's a short 

 visit, before I went into ye Country. If You have not heard 

 from Him since, I can tell You he was well then. Pray my 

 humble service to your Uncle§ & Mrs. White — oh ! I believe I 

 forget, are not You at Mr. Snook's ?li My Service to Him; 'tis 

 all one ; I love You & your whole Family. 



I am Dear Gil : Your's affly, 



Compliments from all our Family. J. M. 



Letter 8. 

 To Mr Gilbert White King square Court, 



at Thorney in ye Isle of Ely Febry. 9th, 1745. [o.s.] 



near Peterborough. 

 Dear Gil : 



I am very much oblig'd to You for your two Letters, and 

 am sorry to hear that your Time has pass'd so disagreably, as it 

 must have done in a sick Chamber ;1 and that the Catastrophe 



• Nathaniel Wells, an Oriel Contemporary. 



t On account of the death of Thomas Warton senior. 



X Benjamin White who became partner with Whiston as Publishers in 

 Fleet St. 



§ The Rev. Charles White, Rector of Bradley, and Vicar of Swarraton, 

 Hants, who had married Gilbert White's aunt. 



II Mr. Henry Snooke of Delves House, Ringmer, near Lewes, who had 

 married Gilbert White's aunt, Rebecca White. 



H Gilbert White was attending the deathbed of his great uncle (in the half 

 blood) Thomas Holt, agent to the Duke of Bedford with whom he was con- 

 nected by marriage. 



