60 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



yes ! I have a Crow to pluck wth Him about That." — And now 

 I am come to ye End of Criticism, but shall never have Room 

 enough to praise : there is some of the strongest Imagery, ye 

 truest Nature, the justest observation, ye best Turn & ye warmest 

 Sentiment that I have ever seen. It is indeed agreed by all, 

 from ye Bishop to ye Vicar, to be a very good Piece. 



I have a Piece by Me (a Compliment to Mr. Richardson) to 

 shew You ; in which You may take ample Revenge for my 

 Impertinence in finding a Fault in yours. An obvious One is 

 ye super-Hoadleian Periods; which I premise by way of ye 

 vulgar Humour of crying whose first. But You cannot see them 

 now, they are too long to insert here. I must here mention 

 while I think of it, ye Invitation of my Uncle & Aunt. They saw 

 your Lr to me, in which You desire Countenance at Peterboro* 

 and say You are afraid of ye Bp. " Why so? " says my Uncle, 

 *' does not he know that I am one of his Admirers? My dear, 

 pray influence this timourous Gentleman." " Jack, pray tell your 

 Friend that He wants no Introduction to me in Town or Country. 

 We shall be glad to see him any where & at any time." " Yes, 

 we dc: dc: dc: do: (for I never was just to a Message.) 



I find by your Hesitation that I must love one Proctor, tho' 

 to say Truth, as You know, I never feared One. I assure you I 

 think of ye Office wth great Respect, & as I make no Doubt that 

 You will execute it wth grt^at Applause, I think it may be a 

 serviceable Honour to you. I fling in my Vote to your accepting 

 it, tho' I had rather have You at Sunbury to set me again on 

 Horseback, which I took Leave of when I took Leave of You. 



I long to see You : whether assisting the University, or assist- 

 ing John Beckhurst it matters not to me, for I shall find You 

 ye same. But I doubt I cannot bring it about to see you in 

 either Light. So I depend upon your old and favourite Character 

 of a Traveller : I shall be glad to add ye warmth of a Friend to 

 ye Compliment of an Host, & have an Opportunity of saying 

 " You are very welcome, Sr." They place it indeed at ye wrong 

 End of ye Visit. I hope You find all our old Oxford Friends 

 well : I desire ray hearty service to them, my greater respects 

 to ye Provost & Dr. Bentham. 



My Church is levell wth the Ground. I think we have got 

 a good neat Plan for ye new One : an honest Surveyor, & Builder, 

 (ye Surveyor ye same who drew ye Plan) & Articles well drawn 

 up. We shall lay out £2,000. 5. 8 & are to be compleat by 

 Michaelmas twelvemonths. 



I told my Father since ye beginning this Letter that I should 

 leave ye answering your kind Invitation to Him or Heck : She 

 did say She would put in a word or two here, in Spite of Prudery. 

 I shall leave a Page, for Ladies are voluble, & conclude myself 

 here, dear Gil, Sincerely Your's J. M. 



Pray write as often as ye Heat will let you. I beg it. 



