LETTER CLXX 267 



Do You consider that I am now ploughing? that Hay- 

 Harvest is coming on? that Men & Maids are wanted? that 

 Corn-Harvest will follow hard upon ? Add to this visiting & 

 visitationing, swearing at Quarter Sessions, & all ye wickedness 

 & Dissipation of Plurality ? 



Well, my dear friend, I have indeed much to be thankful! 

 for ; and I pray God to make me somehow usefull, thankfull, 

 & deserving of his Blessings ! Certainly to be befriended by a 

 Man of fourscore is a Peculiarity of Success ; and I am glad to 

 say that I left ye Bishop well enough to seem likely to serve 

 several friends more : I could direct him— but it is not allow 'd. 

 I left him delighted with Soame Jennings's Book. Have You 

 read Gibbon's ? What think You of his latter Chapters ? If 

 You dislike them, cannot You answer them ? You have the 

 Candour of a Gentleman, & could confute a genteel writer in a 

 decent way. I wish You could ; & soon : You have Leizure, & 

 You have access to what Books You might want. (Among Our- 

 selves ; — In illumquidem Beneficium collocarem, a quo graviter, 



lucide, & viriliter convinceretur, i.e. G . This was the 



word, if I express it right, of Him who seldom breaks it.) 



My Family are All well, & desire their Affte Compts to you 

 &ca with the best wishes of. 



Dear Gil, Your sincere Friend & Servt 



J. Mulso. 



Letter 170. 

 Eeverend Mr White Meonstoke. 



Selbourne near Alton, Hants. Sepr 27, '76. 



Dear Gil : 



I received Your's by the last Post, & am glad to find that 

 You are safe returned from your Excursion into Sussex, where, 

 I presume by your saying Nothing to ye Contrary, that You left 

 the good old Lady* well. 



I am much obliged to You for your Invitation to your House, 

 and it is a great Mortification to me that I must deny Myself 

 that Satisfaction for this Year ; but so it is : I have a Variety 

 of Businesses now on my Hands that will totally fill up all the 

 Time that is allowed me here ; which will end about ye 20th of 

 next Month ; nay, I may be forced to jaunt to Winchester & 

 back again before I can settle. I am waiting for Directions 

 from Winchester to settle my Matters wth Mr Monckton ; I have 

 All my Farmers to compose, my Fields to plough, & my Neigh- 

 bours to visit. Judge therefore, with what Heart a Man can 

 leave home, and how he can change Place wth all these Hounds 



* Mrs. Snooke. 



