LETTER CVIII 181 



they are so. Your affection which has always shewn itself in 

 every possible Instance, demands a constant Desire in me to 

 please & serve you : It has been one of the Blessings for which 

 I am ever thankfuU to Divine Providence ; as it has greatly 

 helped to enliven & sweeten ye painful Passage of human Life. 



That I might give you some account of my last Interview 

 with the Bishop of Winchester, was ye principal Eeason of 

 deferring answering your last, for otherwise I shd have been 

 quicker to quiet your apprehensions of our ever suspecting that 

 You had not done all possible to make us a Visit in ye North. 

 The Time of visiting is now over ; & now we are glad you did 

 not come, because the Time is over : and indeed I hope for a 

 more favourable Season to shew You our country in, than has 

 offer'd this Year. We had some good days last Week, but it 

 is again wet & stormy : our Harvest is not yet in : & I stand 

 at great Expence in Labourers. However, I thank God, I have 

 enough of last year's Corn to sustain my family 'till ye next 

 Harvest. Mrs Mulso will (by God's Blessing) have happily 

 increased it yet more agst You come to us in ye Spring : I think 

 it will be about a Year from the last Lying in, which was in 

 Febry. So I hope she will be up & stout to receive you, & able 

 to accompany you in a few Jaunts. I heartily pray that I may 

 not be dissappointed of this Pleasure, at least in some part of 

 ye Year. The Bishop so earnestly press'd Us to come to 

 Chelsea, when Circumstances would give Leave, & so obligingly 

 beg'd for what he might command in his Chaplain, that we shall 

 certainly exert ourselves to pay our Respects as soon as we can : 

 But we will advertise you of all our Intentions : and if such 

 a Thing happens, it may be no disagreable Journey if we can 

 contrive to make it together in our Return. But it is now too 

 far forwards to settle any thing. I envy my Bro :r Mulso, who 

 is promised your Company this Winter. It is our dead Time, 

 & we think of every Congress wth some Envy. 



I wish you Joy of your two new Nephews :* But I could 

 have wish'd one at a Time, as they seldom thrive in pairs : 

 however it is a Pleasure to have Males at any Rate, where an 

 Estate is depending. I am glad so many of my Relations have 

 seen Selbourne : They all express the highest Pleasure in their 

 Visit. As to ye Consequences to ye young Gentlemen, it will 

 be no great Matter, especially as it purges off in Poetry : when 

 Passion is fancifull it is not dangerous. Ned requires these 

 Brushings ; being apt to have torpid & viscous Blood, if a Love 

 Fit now & then did not quicken his Pulses. It would not do 

 you so much good, unless it was once to ye Purpose ; for we, 

 my Friend, begin to grow into a more serious Age, & to mean 



• Twin sons of Thomas White. 



