LETTER CIV 173 



had expectations from Him : has he answered them ? "What 

 a Winter have we had ? Such keen Frosts, such Snows ! My 

 Gardiner had a dangerous Illness just before, so that my poor 

 Garden will be more forlorn than ever: I wish I had your 

 knowledge & application. You asked me in Your's if we had 

 any Grapes last Year : To say ye Truth, I have eat none in 

 Yorkshire of any Eipeness & Flavour, except fm the Hot House : 

 Sr Wm Wentworth had some of the finest I ever saw but they 

 were not natural. My Soil dissappoints all that my walls might 

 chance to do for me ; in the Beginning of Summer the Fruit 

 bids fair, but it rivels & dries & becomes ye prey of wasps & 

 vermin before it reaches ye Table. What there may be North 

 of the Trent I do not know; but I hear Fruit commended in 

 this Neighbourhood, that I look upon as paultry ; which seems 

 as if in general it was bad ; wall Fruit, I mean ; particularly 

 Peaches & Nectarines ; I might add another Sort of fruit, your 

 favourite Melons. But Apricots, Strawberries, Easps, Goose- 

 berries, Currants, Plums, Orleans & Greengage, Figs, Mulberries, 

 Cherries, Pears & Apples ; we have them in great Plenty, & in 

 full as large Size & high Flavour as ye Southern : My Table 

 is every day covered with these in their Season ; & my Apples 

 are now as good as at first. So that Mrs Mulso, (whose desires, 

 you know, are of the commodious kind,) prides herself in her 

 present Abundance, & forgets the greater Variety of our Sunbury 

 Gardens. She has behaved very well in her present Breeding, 

 not longing for any Thing that was out of her Keach ; She had 

 exceeding bad nights but tolerable days ; and was as much 

 out, & on Horseback as ye weather would permit, & used to 

 go up to her neighbours on her Horse when She was too heavy 

 to bear to tug up hill on foot ; ye Ground rising pretty sharply 

 between Us & all we visit : I know You will love her ye more 

 for This. 



I shall desire, nay I insist, on hearing soon from You, for 

 Mrs Mulso having felt much for herself, feels for Mrs Woods 

 & will be glad to hear that she is safely rid of her Burden. 



I congratulate You on the Peace : I like it well, but it is not 

 the Fashion. I am told that London is much divided upon it, 

 & on the Interests of our Ministers : To me it little matters 

 whether a Northern or a Southern Pilot steers, so that ye 

 Vessels goes right. The City is wanton wth abundance, while 

 ye Country starves. The Toe of the Peasant galls the Courtiers 

 Kibe ; to say Truth he goes next him, for the Sugar Merchants 

 & China Merchants press before Him. 



It is Time to have done : I am got upon a Subject that 

 I do not understand ; but I am perfectly clear that I am ever, 



Dear Gil, Afftely Your's, 



Comps. to all ye family. J. M. 



