LETTER CLXVI 263 



Letter 166. 



Eeverend Mr White Winchester. 



Selbourne near Alton, Hants. May 5, 1776. 



Dear Gil : 



I received your Letter when I was from home : I ought 

 to have taken an earlier Notice of it, particularly because you 

 tell me that Your Brother Thomas might probably be of your 

 Party to Winchester ; & my having taken no Notice of it may 

 have discouraged his calling at the Close. I shd be vext if it 

 had, for I came home last Monday. I have been in London, but 

 more at Chelsea, where I attended as domestic Chaplain in ye 

 Absence of Mr Eennell ; who went to improve bis Living in 

 Northampshire. My Journey was not unsuccessfull in all 

 Eespects, tho' I am now on a more betting Lay than ever I was 

 in my Life. I have ye Promise of a second Living of between 

 2 & £300 pr an. But the Incumbent is alive, tho' old & ill of a 

 Cancer in his Mouth, & my Patron verges on Fourscore. You 

 see therefore I am upon a Chance : the Lay however is for me ; 

 for I never saw ye Bishop better. From London I came down 

 to drink Tea at Michelmarsh, thro' Winchester ; so I am growing 

 Young again. I am just come from preaching & administring 

 ye Sacrament in our Cathedral, being ye only Prebendary at 

 Leizure Today. 



I am sorry that You are involved in the Law ; the Canonical 

 Court received some sour Items during the Tryal of ye Duchess, 

 but nevertheless they kept up their heads pretty well, & will 

 probably survive to decide whether You are of Kin to your 

 Grandfather. I shall envy You prodigiously when Mr Grim 

 is with You. What a Plenitude of Virtu will You feel within 

 You, recreating Selbourne and immortalizing your Favourite 

 Place? 



I thank You for your Hint about Mr Wallington : I presume 

 he will trouble You no more. I thank You for your good 

 Intention if the Course of the Country would have permitted 

 it to take Effect. I have gratified Gregory in ye Application, 

 & I hope have not created You any Uneasiness. 



I saw Nothing while I was in London ; the Bishop pinned 

 me to his Sleeve. I troubled your Brother Ben : one Day to 

 erfdeavour after a Tickett for ye Ld Mayor's Ball for one of my 

 Niece Young's. I was obliged to Him tho' he did not succeed. 

 The Admiral & his Son are well at the Leeward Islands. 



Some of our Scenes near Warneford are well express'd in 

 Clark's Edition of Caesar's Commentaries. I cannot imagine 

 what Mr Wyndham wants wth Grim, for there is no rich Scenery 

 about him. I was charmed wth Mr Baker's Place & Improve- 

 ments. Mr Ashe is an excellent Man for leaving Opportunities 



