282 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



Sparrows. You have a fine Space for stretching your Legs in 

 your new Room, & I hope You feel the good Effects of it : You 

 are got, I suppose, as far towards finishing as the Cartridge 

 Paper. 



We fill here very fast : Our Chapter Time comes on, but it 

 will be a very poor One indeed. We must be contented : if We 

 live thro* next Year, Times mend of Course. 



We hear of great Discontents in high Life ; Hot Doings at 

 hand; Impeachments & God knows what!* But the whole is 

 but suing a Beggar. The Mischief is done ; I want to hear of a 

 Plan of Reparation. I hear of None. If we buy Peace, we must 

 buy it dear ; and we cannot continue the War at a lower Price. 

 But yet I hear of a Peace. I am not in the Secret. Que faire 

 done, Monsr le Cure ? — II faut cultiver notre Jardin. 



I am, my dear Gil, Your old & affte Friend, 



J. Mulso. 



Letter 181. 

 Reverend Mr White, Winchester. 



at Selboume near Alton, Hants. Feb : 4th, 1779. 



Dear Gil : 



I have let a little Time elapse since I read in the Papers 

 of the Death of Mrs Benj : White, which, tho' it was but too 

 much expected, yet in many Views gave me a sincere Concern. 

 I imagined it would involve You immediately in Some Acts of 

 Service to your Brother, that might fill You wth Business, & 

 make it unpleasant to have Letters multiplied upon You. But 

 such a Wife & such a Mother must be very severely miss'd in so 

 large a Family. You have my hearty Condolements upon it. 



I do not know how to direct You, if You are got to your 

 Brother Tom's. I desired in one of my Letters that You would 

 send me your Address, when You was got thither. 



I have now, Admiral Young with me, who is very well & very 

 happy, tho' not a Gainer to such a Degree as ye World speaks ; 

 indeed, much less than I thought ; but he seems quite contented. 

 I expect he will put me in a Way to send out my younger Son. 

 Jack is much obliged by your kind Notice of him ; he is now 

 booted to send off his Goods to Oxford, whither he intended to 

 go Tomorrow ; but Dr Warton (who has just been here & desires 

 to be remember'd to You) has a friend wth Him going to Oxford 

 in a Day or Two, & it may delay him for ye Benefit of half 

 a Post Chaise. 



* Probably this refers to the recriminations in Parliament between 

 Admiral Keppel and his second in command, Sir Hugh Palliser, after 

 their unsuccessful engagement with the French off Usbant. 



