LETTER LII 95 



Surface of beaten Snow ? Doctor Jack therefore shall commence 

 his Title in Imitation of Doctor Mouse : The Dr like his 

 Brother Frewen has a rough Way wth Him, but has Abilities, 

 & seldom makes a false Step in his Practise, indeed He is grown 

 pretty old in it ; He is a Sort of Sloven in appearance, like Sr 

 Samuel Garth, tho' He takes his Fee regularly enough to make 

 a Handsomer appearance in Cloaths. I tip twice a Day, & if he 

 goes wth me to an Acquaintance I get Him a Third. It is 

 wonderfull considering his Age & Experience to observe how 

 cautiously he proceeds, & in some Cases has a Shyness & 

 Timidity that wth some People would discredit Him greatly, but 

 I who am acquainted wth his Temper forgive little Slips in Him 

 as One ought to do by one's friends. This very Day upon the 

 breaking of the Ice he seemed greatly alarmed, & advised me by 

 a Jog which I very well understand to stick close to Him or I 

 might come to Damage. In short, tho' I could object some 

 things to Him, yet upon the whole I am so taken wth his 

 Company, that I have a great Mind to make it worth his while 

 to live wth Me entirely, for at present he seems to have a great 

 Hankering after the Business of the Family at Kempton Park, 

 tho' it lay chiefly amongst the Servants too, & they are a fatiguing 

 set of Creatures to deal wth & would not mind worrying the poor 

 Dr to Death. 



I have been out to try if I could meet my Father, who gave 

 me some Hopes last week that I should see Him if the Cold 

 abated, which as it has done but little I was not very sanguine 

 in my Expectations. Indeed, Gil, he is in a very poor way, he 

 has never been well since his Stroke, & has now a horrid Cough 

 & Hoarseness which alarm Us greatly : His Doctor Napier approves 

 of Country Air when it is a little milder ; He is in great DoUbts 

 about the Circuit, I wish he would not venture it, as he should 

 be very welcome to ride about & take up his Eesidence at Sun- 

 bury, which is all the Good he could expect from his Circuit. 

 The Bishop's Mother, I think cannot hold it long. She is in great 

 Pain and Sickness, & in such a Way as make Us wish the Event 

 speedily decided one Way or another. You are very pious in 

 your Character of your Grandmother ; * may You inherit the 

 same Fullness of Years, with the same Simplicity & Worth of 

 Heart, but wth masculine & larger Honours ! 



I saw your Brother Jack in Town last week, he was so kind 

 as to call & drink Tea at Mr Young's, Miss Y — met Him in ye 

 street in the morning & told Him that I was just coming to 

 Town. I ask'd Him to come & see me at Sunbury, & he did not 

 seem averse to the thing, but I believe is kept away by the same 



* The widow of the Rev. Gilbert White, Vioar of Selbome, who had 

 recently died in the 9l8t year of her age. 



