LETTER XXXVIII 71 



there very ill; but my good Aunt went and fetch 'd her to Kew, 

 where She revived, and where She remains. The Circuiteers 

 are gone off; they set out on Fryday last; my Father, Mr 

 Gommitt', had an emboss'd Nose, which was gained by stooping 

 down for the two or three Days before He set out, & writing his 

 own Name over fourteen thousand times ; by which abominable 

 Tautography he almost forgot it, he was so muzz'd ; & when He 

 recollected it, hated it. So he set out with more Pleasure than 

 He has done some Years, as being released from a great & new 

 Slavery. Heck I beleive will stay at Kew 'till their Return, 

 & Pressy will spend some Part of ye Time of Pyry's Absence at 

 Hampton. I carried your Lr to Kew, where it was read to 

 Bishops, Priests, & Deacons. My Uncle laugh'd heartily at your 

 Hectic Heat, & my Aunt said that half such a Joke was a serious 

 Proposal, & we laugh'd before hand at the Fright we suppose 

 You in at ye reading of this, by which You find that You have 

 drawn yourself into a Praemunire. Hse Nugae seria ducunt in 

 Mala. Not but that if You are Fire, the Ladies are Tinder ; 

 for they soon catch & fall a burning. As to your Rags and 

 Chips, Heck totally disdains all sinister & Canidian Use of the 

 same ; & protests She trusts to no foreign charms for your 

 Demolition. My Girl is very well and Mr Young pretty well. 

 She is obliged to You for your Civilities, but length'ned her Face 

 at your Mention of my Autumnal Elopement. Indeed I shall 

 not accept that kind Invitation so slyly introduced. I have 

 engaged in sufficient Expences for ye Year, without adding 

 Journeys ; & if I could bear more, I would be wth You now at 

 ye Hotwells. I have dip'd my Fingers in Lime and Mortar, 

 having washed up ye Front of the old Part of the House ; & am 

 now getting the great Parlour ready for Painting ; the Wainscot 

 is fixt, & ye Ceiling is whitening. These Phoenomenas are look'd 

 upon by the neighbours as sure fore-runners of Matrimony ; but 

 that Matter wants farther Encouragement. I am sure it is not 

 out of carnal Motives that I pray for Success to your good Wishes 

 for me on that Occasion, but from much more serious & honest 

 Reasons : and if I know Myself, I am willing to put my Success 

 upon the Truth of that Assertion. Yet God knows what is best 

 for us. 



If I send You Franks in ye inside of my Letters I shall have 

 None for ye outside : It is best to let them stick where they are. 

 Write on & often. I grudge Nothing but that You are to write 

 to me by being so much absent from me. 



I am, dear Gil, Afftely Your's 



J. Mulso. 



