136 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



for the truly worthy Doctor. You give Us great Concern in 

 telling Us of Mr White's sufferings ; He is one of my Wife's Tip 

 top Flames. I thank God We are pretty well here ; bating 

 our Man Harry who is dangerously ill ; tho' I have suffered 

 severely by a Head ach since I wrote last. I always think My- 

 self interested in Mouse's Distempers, because I think they 

 prevent my seeing You, when perhaps You did not otherwise 

 intend it. Our Eespects attend you and Your's. 



I am, Dear Gil : Afftely Your's, 



J. M. 



Letter 80. 



Sunbury, 



Oct : 6, 1758. 

 Dear Gil: ., 



At all Times & on all Occasions I find in You the Marks 

 of a true Friend ; and 1 find a strong Instance of it in your so 

 immediately opening your Heart to me on this very melancholy 

 Occasion. And my dear Friend has so much of the Complacency 

 of Mind & christian Temper of his valuable Father, that I need 

 not suggest to him many Subjects of Consolation even in this 

 very afflcting Event. For as the Hand of his God was over him 

 during his Life, so was it visibly in his End ; for Mr White had 

 a Strength of Body amidst all his Infirmities to have subjected 

 him to much greater Struggles than it pleased God to try him 

 with at his Death: This Evewaffta was what was greatly to be 

 wished for after so good a Life. With Regard to his Family, 

 who will always remember him with the Tenderness & Honour 

 due to his Memory, he was spared to them 'till they were all 

 grown up to such a State, as to be at no Loss for a Method & 

 Settlement in Life ; & what little is wanting to Harry would have 

 naturally fallen to your Care, had he lived longer, from his 

 retired way of Life. So that his worthy Heart was recompenced 

 with a great Eeward of his Care, That of seeing his Children in a 

 Train of Prosperity in the World, gratefull to his parental 

 Providence, & sensible to the Principles upon which he acted in 

 all relations. 



And with this little & imperfect Eulogy I take my Leave of a 

 Man, whom Mrs Mulso & myself very much respected & valued. 

 And tho' the Thoughts of him, my dear Friend, are at this Time 

 grievous and painfull, yet they will be a Balm & a Comfort in 

 future Eeflexion. For solid is the Blessing of having had a good 

 Parent, it surely attends his Posterity ; & no observing Man has 

 seen the Eighteous forsaken, or his Seed begging their Bread. 



And now, dear Gil, if any thing lies in our Power to be done 

 for You & Your's, we beg You to let Us know ; & when your 



