LETTEE CLXIl 257 



Mortality, would be proud to watch the live-long Night wth her, 

 & mistake the Morning Lark for ye Nightingale, 



Who nightly sings on yon Pomegranate Tree. 



But for Us old phtysicky, prebendal Gentry — to aim at such Com- 

 pliments, would be but inverting two excellent Things in their 

 Way, Gallantry & Sleep. — So do, as You dare ; I think it would go 

 hard if I let an old Friend lie in ye — (no, not ye Street—) in the 

 Lane. You know I am always glad to see You. As to your 

 Nieces Complaints, (which, I hope, are over,) I have assa foetida, 

 Valerian, Lavender Drops, Laudanum, Air, Neighbourhood, & 

 Daughters. — As to Lovers, they do not grow on every Hedge, 

 else Jane would have plucked a few, but they will be plenty er 

 where Miss White comes. I cannot offer Myself, because I am 

 pre-engaged to a Second. I can only answer, as George Selwyn 

 did to ye Bourreau de Paris, at an Execution — Ah ! Monsieur, 

 je ne suis pas un Artist, je suis seulement un Amateur. 



Your Fellowship Business I give up. I did as I was desired ; 

 & You did as Occasion required. When I have an urgent Suit, 

 You shall know my Bequest sooner. I shd have been glad to 

 oblige Gregory : as to Mr Wallington, as I know Nothing of 

 Him, I could not conceive who you meant in the Beginning of 

 your Letter. 



We are glad Mr Yalden attributes Some Merit to ye Jelly, as 

 it will give the Person, who advised Mrs Mulso of it. Pleasure. 

 And I am sure We shd. both have rejoyeed in Any Service We 

 could have been of to Mr Yalden. 



I am diverted wth Your • Effort to ally me to Sr Kenelm 

 Digby. Could You prove me next Heir to his Genius or Estate, 

 it might do Something. But as to ye precarious Eelation to ye 

 Mulsho's of Gothurst in Bucks, — tho' it wears a face — vix ea 

 Nostra Voco — I have not yet put Esquire Mulso on the Scent. 

 I do not know whether he is so keen on Genealogies as on 

 Etymologies : which shows him more keen to be related to the 

 Etty's.— 



We have had All the Books that You named, & found Pleasure 

 in All. But what do You talk of amusing Books ? I am now 

 reading One that beats Lock on ye human Understanding for 

 Drollery, I mean Harris's Philosophl Arrangements. And I 

 have some Hopes that wth this predicamental Help, & a few 

 such merry Books, Your Niece may find me one of ye best 

 'polemic Divines in England. 



My poor Sister Chapone is in no Comic Vein ; the cold in her 

 Jaw is stubborn & serious. She has been very weak of late. 



As for your Itch of Building, Nothing cures it but Experience. 

 You would have great Pleasure & Pride in an Essay or two, but 

 upon a repetatur Idem You would shrug your Shoulders. But 



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