LETTER LIV 99 



see of it : You threaten me if I do not send You word of some 

 Preferment falling to me, that You will supplant me by making 

 Love to my Cozens ; truly (but this is entirely entre Nous) that 

 Sap is begun or I am much mistaken ; so that if it does not fall 

 soon, I may chance to hear that tho' a Nephew is dear, a Child 

 is dearer ; which on such an Occasion would be a melancholy 

 Truth which I could not gainsay. Not but that I am sure that 

 my Uncle is so much a Man of Honour, that if a Prebend was to 

 fall it would be mine, because he has promised it so often. As 

 to being an Irish Dean or Bishop the only Keason I would wish 

 for it would be to meet You at some Wells, if I could not tempt 

 You cross the Channel ; for the Hydrophobia, which You seem 

 to think I have got, would be redoubled if the Water was salt ; 

 & I have no Inclination to Irish Preferment : tho' that Salt- 

 washing might be the Cure of one of my great Distempers, which 

 is poverty, as the Incomes in Ireland are very handsome. I hear 

 Dr Lowth is gone over, but is not to stay there ; Dr Waugh (I 

 think that is his queer Name) will have a Bishoprick there, & 

 Lowth his Deanery, if Opportunity serves : So we shall see 

 Lowth an English Bishop, which I am glad of, as He is a very 

 amiable & respectable Man. Cannot You drink Cyder after your 

 Waters ? I have employed your Brother to get me half a Hogs- 

 head of that Liquor of the old Dealer, which is now in my cellar ; 

 I have not tasted it, but your Cozen Yalden has approved of the 

 other half. If any thing can lay ye Dust of Sunbury it is Cyder. 

 Miss Young comes down to Hampton tomorrow & Mr Young 

 follows her the next Day or on Saturday, so that your Visit will 

 be a divided One if You come, for She must have her Share of 

 You, which I hope would be no Objection to You. We might 

 have a few short Rides together, for as to long Ones, I think 

 verily I never shall compass them ; and tho' I travelled very 

 pleasantly wth You to the Hot- Wells in Imagination, yet your 

 first Days Journey of 34 Miles would in reality I beleive have 

 finished Me. My Steed pleases & plagues me : Sr Philip told my 

 father that He should not reclaim it 'till I was tired of it. But 

 he has a bad Cough & his Eyes are but very indifferent, so 

 that I have been obliged to bleed & to rowell Him, & am afraid 

 to turn him into ye Church Yard, which would save me Money, 

 for Hay is yet 3 Pds pr Load & has been £3. 10. 0. My Church 

 Yard looks pretty well. I have got near a Load of Wood fm the 

 Trees, & shall mow soon, but a very thin Crop, for the Clover 

 seems to be lost. I do not much approve of mowing, but my 

 Horse's Eyes have almost forc'd me to it, as I could not graze 

 it. My Hay of last Year almost starved my Horse : I wish you 

 was always near me to advise me & overlook things, for I am a 

 dismal Farmer, & should be ruined by a Rectory. I sincerely 

 wish You had a Living like Dene & the thoro' good Sort of 



