90 LETTERS TO QILBBBT WHITB 



the Horse had so very tender a Mouth that he would not bear a 

 Touch, & had a Sort of Bound over the rocky way, like a Deer ; 

 & I was pinched by a borrow'd Boot ; so that I was held a 

 snaall Matter excused upon these Considerations, but yet held 

 as I justly deserved, a poor Horseman. 



I am pleased with the Account You give of your Improve- 

 ments ; but do not deserve the Compliment which You, by Im- 

 plication, pay me. As I know the Fields,* I have a pretty good 

 Idea of them in their new Dress. Yet I could not help being 

 diverted by One Advantage which You describe, for I beleive the 

 gaining of six Gates one above another in Perspective is full as 

 new, as it is agreable ; Missy desires me to tell You that She is 

 charmed with this happy Circumstance ; a Six Bar Gate in the 

 Country being One of her favourite Coups d'Oeils ; but to have 

 Six at once ye happiness of a Century. Aldrich too to whom I 

 gave the particulars of your Horticulture, smiled at ye Oddity of 

 the Thing, but envied & applauded. 



We want but a little Rain & all our Leaves fall. We have 

 had a little Sprinkling, but Nothing to satisfy our thirsty Farmers. 

 But let ye Leaf stay or go, Mr. Young goes to Town for the 

 winter next week, & there ends my Summer & my Cai*e about 

 it, for when I once settle at Sunbury, it may rain or Shine : all 

 the Difference is more or less stirring the Fire — nisi quid Tu, 

 docte Trebati,— dissentis — i.e. unless You get me a ilorse, & 

 insist upon stirring my Body more & my Fire less. Hay is here 

 £3 10 pr Load,— & the Prebendaries of Peterboro' in good 

 Health. AH our Turnips kill'd & no Hopes of a Falling of price. 

 A French War near at Hand, & four Shillings in ye Pound. I 

 am in the Situation of Jemmy Leece & his Kite, which he was 

 half fond of & half afraid of. '• Ta''^ my Kite " — " Leave my 

 Kite." So, if I did not think my Horse a sine Quo non, I should 

 wrap myself up by my Fire, & hang up my Boots as Lumber. 



I am sorry that Mr White does not mend faster. My Father 

 is a good deal better. He, Heck & Ned are still in Kent, & have 

 not fix'd their Eetum. I am glad of it, for Air & Eiding does 

 my Father good & when He gets to Town his Horse will be sent 

 to Grass. It is a real Grief to me that I cannot bring a Female 

 Party to see your green Gardens, your Zigzag & Lyth. But this, 

 I hope, is futuri temporis Exitus. 



I am, dear Gil, Afftely Your's, 



J. Mulso. 

 E. to all friends. 



* What is now the pretty little park behind The Wakes at Selborue was 

 at that time divided into several small fields. 



