262 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



about last Year. I told him again how ye Matter stood, & like- 

 wise that it was probable that You would not be there ; he still 

 sollicited, & hoped some Merit might be allowed to the Per- 

 severance of his friend, who had deferred his Degree to capacitate 

 him for this Chance. I said I would mention it to You ; & 

 accordingly I took down the above Circumstances with great 

 Punctuality ; I ' only forgot the Name of the very Man recom- 

 mended, which I hope You remember ; for the Carelessness of it 

 has made me ashamed to own it to him, as it looks like a Slight, 

 which I am sure I would no more be guilty of to Him than to ye 

 greatest Man. I leave ye above to your Judgement. 



I hope You are apprized by this Time of the Value of your 

 Share of the Assets of Mr Holt, & have found them rather to 

 exceed than to fall short of your Expectations.* It is well when 

 so good a Fortune falls into ye Hands of so good a Man as your 

 Brother Thomas. 



I have hardly heard from my Bror or Sistr Mulso this Winter, 

 I only heard from Sistr Chapone that You had been at their 

 house. I therefore shall be curious to know whether You fixed 

 wth my Brother upon any Plan for your Views & Drawings. The 

 lateness of the Season now makes me suspect that your work 

 will not come forth this Spriug, and indeed the want of that 

 Ornament, which You seemed to set your Heart upon, will make 

 it impossible. I feel an Impatience, & the more for your Sake, 

 as the Tast of ye Town in reading is capricious, & natural 

 Observations have had a Eun, & at a high Price. I shd rather 

 therefore have wished both You & John to have pushed your 

 Collections forward. But you must be best Judge now You have 

 been at London. 



I know nothing of the Chancellor's Preferments, which it 

 would be natural for me to inform You about. He is to be 

 buried here tomorrow, as we hear, for we have had no regular 

 notice. What I shall gain, or whether I shall gain I know not, 

 but I am sure I have lost a creditable & valuable acquaintance 

 & Correspondent ; and the world has lost a Good Man. 



I hope all your Friends & Neighbours are well. All our Loves 

 & best wishes attend You, particularly Those of, 



Dear Gil, Your old, faithfull & affte Friend, 



J. Mulso. 



* After considerable litigation, a decree of the Chancellor deprived the 

 family of this share. 



