LETTER XVII 26 



Bowels ; nor have I quite remov'd it yet : So that the Time has 

 not pass'd very gayly. They will go to Town next week & then I 

 shall be compleatly deserted ; However, You know that I have 

 some obliging Neighbours, who save me from Despair & an 

 English Exit in November. Are You sure that You shall not 

 fetch Home Harry* at Xmas ? Cannot You rest at Sunbury for 

 a Day or two ? I think the Sight of You would give me Spirits, 

 for a month at least. If You Time your Visit well, perhaps I 

 may take a Trip to London with You ; we will see the Family, 

 salute ye Bishop, & I wish wth all my Heart He could give You a 

 Hampshire Living of two Hundred a Year in Eeturn for ye Com- 

 pliment. Perhaps we may steal into ye Pit & take another Laugh 

 together, unless You think it beneath your Dignity. But you 

 shall rule ; and indeed it is a Compliment which I owe to you, 

 who referr'd every Thing to my Arbitration, and submitted every 

 thing to my Content & Pleasure when I was in Hampshire. 



I desire my Eespects to every Body in general & particular 

 there. To the Ladies first as in Duty bound. I hope your 

 Father will mount younger Horses for ye winter. I am in Hopes 

 that the cold weather will give your Uncle Spirits, I have often 

 found that where they have fail'd in ye Heat of Summer, they 

 have been good by being brac'd with Frosts. I heartily wish 

 Him & Mrs. White Health, & must repeat my Thanks for his 

 friendly Eeception of Me. 



I fancy this will wait for You at Selbourne, for I think this is 

 about the Time of your being at Oxford : Let me know who You 

 saw there, & how the Provost & Mr. Bentham & all Friends do. 

 Tell me about ye Curacy & whether You have taken it. I wish 

 You Health & an Increase of every Thing which may give You 

 Content & Happiness, & am, dear Gil, 



Your affectionate Friend, 



J: Mulso. 



Letter 17. Sunbury, 



Janry 11, 174/^. 

 Dear Gil : 



I am cover'd wth that malus Pudor which makes a Man 

 the foolishest Sinner of the World, for He knows He is in ye 

 wrong, but wants Courage to return to ye Eight. I have owed 

 You a Letter so long, that I have not dared to pay it, and when 

 an idle Hour has presented itself, I have stood wth all ye 

 Irresolution of a Boy on ye Brink of the Eiver, 'till my Imagina- 

 tion has been quite frozen, before I dared trust it to Paper. 



I have taken Possession of no Prebend, for there are no 



• Gilbert White's youngest brother, Henry, was at school at Kingston, 

 Surrey. 



