192 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



in the Midst of all this Fuss. My Brother Mulso received a Kick 

 from a Horse in his way to London, that has laid him up ever 

 since ; but of this you will hear more fm London than I can tell 

 You, having heard but once. I find by your Hints that You are 

 determined not to die an Old Batchelour, if You can help it ; 

 tho' You are not yet fixed. Well, Speed you well ! but look well 

 about You ; Consider You are beyond your octavum Lustrum ; 

 which tho' it is (I hope) not quite Time to leave off the Ladies, is 

 full Time to begin with them. (I have received some anecdotes 

 of your Family in the matrimonial way, which coming a round 

 about way to me, have, I hope, gained Something in the telling : 

 the rather, as You are totally silent upon the Subject yourself.) 



Our Harvest is now getting in : It begins to be Time, for I 

 have been eaten out of House & Home. Our weather has of 

 late been very fine, and I beleive the Corn will, upon the whole, 

 be well got in ; tho' it is now inclining to Wind & Rain. I had 

 good Plenty of Hay, & not at all spoiled, tho' I had almost all the 

 Bain upon it that fell at that Time. I have lost a good Neighbour 

 in a Mr Beaumont of Whitley Hall ; These are heavy Losses in 

 the Country. 



My Patron is at Wakefield, but so much out of Order as not 

 to be able to bear the Heat of the public Room ; so he has not 

 appeared but upon the Course. The Horse that he employ 'd his 

 Steward to get for me, proved a batter'd Jade, so it is returned, 

 & I am yet mounted on my Dob : I had bought a young Horse in 

 the Spring, but it will not do, I want to get rid of it but it is at 

 present lame. 



I wish you Joy of Mrs Barker's safe Time. She has as good 

 leave off now, unless She has a Mind to another Boy. 



I must now lay down my Pen, because it will obey my Hand 

 no longer, & because the Company are all come below, & the 

 Concert is begun. Complts to all chez vous. 



I am ever, Dear Gil, Your's afftely, 



J. Mulso. 



Letter 115. 



Thornhill. 



Janry 7, 1765. 

 May my dear Gil see many Happy Returns of this Season ; 

 May his Years be multiplied, his Health established, & his 

 Generation encreased. May every Blessing attend him that an 

 old Friend can wish ; or his own Heart desire ! 



It is a great while since I wrote to you, but You have been 

 upon the Ramble a good while, & I have had no precise acct yet of 

 your Return to Selborne ; but from the Season of ye Year I guess 

 that you are at home : To say Truth, from a Hint in your last 



