88 LETTEBS TO GILBERT WHITE 



Boom wth a great Fire. I have yet a black Patch which half 

 covers my Face, & have not quite got rid of the Swelling upon 

 my Jaw. Mr Y. & Missy are both well, & now (which among 

 Friends I think is better than laboured Thoughts) I am going into 

 a Detail -of ye Health of my Kelations, & I think I may say 

 throughout, of your Friends. The Bishop has been ill but is 

 better again : my Aunt has been dying, but is better, tho' in an 

 indifferent way, her Complaint is at her Stomach. My Father, 

 Sister & Ned are at Canterbury with my Aunt Donne. My 

 Father mends daily, he gets up his Looks and his Appetite k 

 sleeps better. Tom is return'd some Time from his Circuit, 

 which was a pretty laborious One, as he had a New Circuiteer to 

 help Him, & is now verj' well in Towh wth his Pressy. Pressy 

 is still a Crock : She drinks the Sea Water, k takes Pains to be 

 well, but as yet she is hke ye Swan, 



" that cannot wash her black Legs white, 

 Altho' She hourly lave them in the Floud." 



Jack Young has taken a House at great Marlow in Bucking- 

 hamshire. Where are You now ? Do You go to Oxford upon 

 the Scheme You mentioned? Is there a Hope of it's succeeding? 

 or are You to sit down at Waltham this Winter, & warm 

 Yourself by the Widow's Fire? Let me know all Particulars 

 of You. How goes on Shooting about you ? our Shooters find 

 the Benefit of the Association. We had three Brace of Partridge 

 on a Dish at Jack Young's for Supper : a Turtle at Dinner : 

 Grand ! 



Our Harvest is all in, perhaps it is not the same wth You. 

 If You was here. You would redouble your Endeavours to sing 

 that miserable Bit of a Cantata, In my Dust Cart, for it never 

 can be dustier than it is. The Leaf ia&es & falls, while You I 

 suppose are green k healthy. I have no Horse ; but if I had I 

 could not ride an Airing ; our Atmosphere is impregnated wth 

 Dust. The Prince goes to Town the 16th of next Month, & of 

 Course the Bishop & his Family. I shall by that Time, I reckon, 

 be a deserted Creature as usual ; & must go farther than Eew 

 to make a Visit to all my Friends. Can You not bring a Gun 

 to Sunbury? Perhaps You will find it a better Winter Place 

 than a Summer One. But indeed I do not deserve a Visit from 

 You : I have no thoughts of Hampshire this Year. But I do 

 deserve a Letter, & a Letter I insist upon having very soon. 



Have You read Ld Bolinbroke's Works ? I have not ; nor 

 I think of making a Purchase of what I am told is exceeding 

 paultry writing. I am very glad to find that we have so weak 

 an Adversary (since he ^ould be one at all) in a Man of such 

 boasted Abilities. He advances such outrageous Propositions 

 as will revolt even ye most friendly Prejudice to Him ; & of 

 Course the Book can do but little Harm. The Price too keeps 



