LETTER CI 167 



coming hither, & so little Idea had they of one of the finest 

 counties in England. Here You will find your old friend inhabit- 

 ing with great Contentment an old dirty Stone Hall in an old 

 stone parsonage House ; the good woman feeding her Bantams 

 & her Pidgeons; & two noisy healthy Children who make ye 

 Room ring again : Two or three plain Neighbours who relate 

 domestic Occurrencies ; & have no Prejudications or Pannicks, 

 tho' England has seemingly set her face agst the whole World. 

 But come, before that happens to me which will be as the 

 Falling of your Hanger would be to your Selbourne, & more 

 irremediable : The Calder is discover'd thro' two or three open- 

 ings fm my Garden ; the new Navigation will carry it's Stream 

 an unseen way, as soon as they open the Passage of it. I need 

 say no more, I see You pity me. I who had been used to ye 

 Majestick Thames, & had consoled Myself with ye Miniature 

 Representation — well : let me reflect on Uncle Richard & Noar 

 Hill. 



I am sorry to hear your account of your College Curacy;* 

 It is as provoking a Disappointment as any I have met with a 

 great while. I must talk with you about it when You come, for 

 I do not at present see why they should set apart Land for You 

 without your concurrence, or why You did not preferr Tythe to 

 the Incumbrances You mention. 



You wish Us joy of our Admiral ; but by this Time You find 

 that He is still a Commodore ; However if ye Admiralty place 

 him in a good Station, he may advance his fortune in this 

 Spanish War, & then I shall say, Aliquisque Malo fuit Usus in 

 illo. — But I must talk to You of this when You come ; at present 

 I do not conceive — " Lord, cry You, why You do not conceive at 

 all I " — No, nor my Wife neither ; which She is extremely glad 

 of, I assure you. 



I am almost demolished as a farmer in my Stable affairs. 

 My best Cart Horse is lame, my next is sick, my third is old and 

 blind ; & the best Horse I had, I was forced to sell under price 

 to my father to carry him Home. A fine Yorkshire Man 

 indeed! — 



My poor Sister Chapone is I am afraid hurt in her Fortune 

 by her Match ; my Cozen Chaloner Oglef much advanced in 

 her's by Ld : & Lady Kingston's Death ; by which ye Captn has 

 got, I suppose 20 or £30,000. He is to make Worthy near 

 Winton his Place of Residence. 



* Tho Perpetual Curacy of Moreton Pinkney received a small augmenta- 

 tion from Queen's Anne's Bounty at this time, which was invested in land 

 contrary to Gilbert White's wishes. 



t Bishop Thomas's youngest daughter had married Captain (afterwards 

 Bir) Chaloner Ogle, R.N. 



