20 LETTERS TO GILBEET WHITE 



&.fjiol, tooe's me was us'd with Energy. I intend secretly to 

 print her Song & You will see Yourself in a wooden Print on ye 

 Top holding out a Pot of Beer to a Lady. I beleive She has 

 begun your Sermon, for She wrote while Ned & I rode ; She 

 seems to fear that She shall never draw it out into Length ; and 

 tho' She's little apprehensive of wanting words, She is justly 

 alarm'd about ye Deficiency of Sense. 



My Jenny* (whom You dare to call by her true Name, tho* 

 I dare not) came on Saturday & return'd on Tuesday ; I hardly 

 dare tell You what a Scheme She has propos'd, because I don't 

 see that You can have any Share in it. Going in ye Coach with 

 her Father, she was talking of Oxford & how much She long'd to 

 see it ; He was in so good Humour that He promis'd to carry her 

 there when She could make a Party ; So Pressy & Heck are 

 invited, & I believe Captn Young & his Lady. As to me I leave 

 You to guess what will be my Fate : If I forfeit my Living I must 

 go : we intend to meet ye Circuiteers on their Return at ye End 

 of the Month, but what Day we set out, or how go, I shall not 

 tell You. I shall see her to-morrow & then I shall be inform'd 

 more particularly. Heck is in ye greatest alarm, & scream'd out 

 on hearing it, " but where's my Busser ? " In short She is 

 apprehensive of a Dearth of Civilities, because You are not to be 

 there, and fears She shall not get her Degree, because She has 

 not her favourite Batchelour to answer under. 



"We have had a Vestry about our Church. It was a fierce 

 Democracy ; at last I adventur'd to harangue, which I did for a 

 great while ; but tho' even Coblers allow'd that it was very fine, 

 yet ye tenacious Farmers will I am afraid hinder the building of 

 a Church. And yet ye Repairs are in ye meantime to be so 

 inconsiderable, as not to allow me any Length of Holidays : 

 So I cannot promise to see You in Hampshire. I am very much 

 obliged to Mr Snooke for expressing a Desire to see me at 

 Ringmer ; I should wait upon Him with a great deal of Pleasure, 

 tho' there were not those enchanting Scenes about Him, which 

 tempt me in your Description. I am oblig'd to ye Ladies for 

 their Civility & my Sister is very desirous of having the advan- 

 tage of so agreable an acquaintance. Our Compliments attend 

 them. I wish You Joy of having had such favourable weather 

 both in your Journey & since. That every Thing may conspire 

 to make you well & happy, is the sincere wish of 



dear Gil, Your affectionate Friend, 



J. M. 



Miss Jane Young, to whom he was engaged to be married. 



