LETTER XL 73 



then make a Eesolution of selling Her & leaving off riding ; Yet 

 the Benefit I have found makes me unwilling, & the Service I 

 have had out of the poor Creature makes me think wth Kegret 

 of sending Her to a less indulgent Master. I am now at Sunbury 

 waiting the lessening of the Storm thro' which I came to read 

 Prayers, & thro' which I am afraid I must go to my Friends at 

 Hampton. Why did not You mention the Curacy of your 

 Brother ? * I am glad that He is in Orders, as He has good 

 Sense enough to quit every youthfull Folly which would mis- 

 become the Order, & Learning enough to make a very good 

 Figure in the Church. I hope it is not Chelsea where he is 

 engaged, for the Minister there makes a very bad Master. I 

 hope all Friends in Hampshire are well, & desire my Eespects 

 to them when You see them, which I suppose will be now & 

 then, tbo' I should call it a long Journey. My Uncle asked me 

 how You came to take a Curacy ? I told Hiiu because I knew 

 that it was your Sentiment, that a Clergyman should not be 

 idle & unemploy'd. He likes You, Gil : & that is a Pleasure to 



Your's Afftely 



J. M. 



Letter 40. 



Sunbury, 



Deer 2, 1753. 

 Dear Gil : 



I am obliged to You for your kind Letter, tho' it came a 

 little tardy ; You having caused many Surmises & much Wonder 

 in Town, by leaving them in ye Dark about the Founder of 

 two Turkies. When I came to Town, I found the Bones of that 

 which was designed for Me, at Mr Young's ; for my Madam 

 never lets any Thing of that Sort pass safe thro' King's Square 

 Court. I set them right as I could, & hazarded a Lr of Thanks 

 to your Father, & have gained a very agreable & obliging Lr 

 from Him in Eeturn, for which I desire You would thank Him 

 when You see Him. 



I am pleased with your Emblem ; & did not conclude the 

 reading of it, as You did the fashioning, by falling asleep. Why 

 what a Flyer are You ? You have prevented my asking after 

 Mouse ; f had You not given some account of your chusing a 

 Post Chaise, I should have Thought that You had really 

 bequeathed your Horsemanship to me. I have for two Eeasons 

 ceased riding this Week ; One is the Hardness of the Frost, & 

 t'other ye Softness of my Head, wth wbich I have been very ill 

 for the last half of the week. For tho' it may be a good 



• John White, 

 t A pony which carried Gilbert White for many years. 



