LETTER LXVI 119 



this Work & think the Language at all stiff by the Translation's 

 being too literal, I give You Notice that You should spare the 

 Lady, who was compelled into So narrow a Form : and indeed it 

 is not the Lady's Fault to be oversparing of words ; Witness 

 Madam Dacier in her Translations. I saw your Brother Benjn 

 in Town, he is plump & in high Beauty : We gave him a Com- 

 mission for some Cyder : I have always an Eye to You in this 

 Purchase ; but yet I cannot set the Time in which we can give 

 You a Bed with Us, tho' we can easily procure You one in ye 

 Neighbourhood at any Time : So that when You will be so 

 friendly as to take up wth that You may set your own Time 

 for coming to us. Your Brother told me that You was or had 

 been at Oxford ; I suppose making some Settlement for Harry, 

 but he gave me no Account of what was done in it, & That I 

 expect from You : He told me that You was very well, which 

 I hope is true. 



I still wish, ray dear Gil, that You would be looking out for 

 a Horse for me, for indeed my own is now so very bad that as I 

 cannot get upon him wth any Pleasure, & of Course little Profit, 

 I purpose to get rid of a very expensive Animal. I cannot suit 

 myself here under a vast Sum, which I cannot go to, & therefore, 

 I keep the Commission in your hands, if by chance You light on 

 such a Thing in your Travells. Curate or not Curate still I find 

 You will travell ; & a restless Animal You still will be 'till I find 

 You squatted down in Fat Goose Living.'" 



The' we are starving by the Dearness of Bread, yet the 

 present Spring is very promising, & opens under God's Providence 

 a Year of great Plenty. Nothing can be more beautifull ; even 

 my little Garden charmed me when I returned from London. 

 We are saturated wth Cucumbers from our Neighbours; and if 

 we have Rain we have hopes of a Dish of Peas from our own 

 Ground next Wednesday, which compleats the first Year of my 

 married state. On the Sixteenth of April I saw the first Swallows, 

 tho' it was not the first Day of their Coming. I marked it in my 

 Almanack for You. I have let you know a great deal of myself 

 & Family, & expect You to be as particular about your own 

 Concerns in which I take a Friend's share. 



I am recovering of a bad Cold and Hoarseness for which 

 I was bloodied on Monday. Mrs Mulso is pure well, & very 

 much Your's, as She commands Me to tell You. Mr Young 

 pretty well & sends Comps. I beg my own & Family's good 

 wishes to all Friends in Hampshire, & am 



Dear Gil, Afftely Yours, 



J. Mulso. 



P.S. I find I have never a Frank in ye House. 



* This journey, however, was merely to Oxford upon the usual College 

 business. 



