286 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



it in the Eye of the World. It may save some future Biographers 

 Trouble, who may think it necessary to celebrate ye Place, where 

 Such a Genius was born. I am glad however that the Bishop 

 has been commodious to You in One Instance. Those same 

 three Voll : must be fine Summer Reading ? 



My Jack is wth me, & sends his Respects & Thanks for your 

 kind Invitation, which he would be very glad to accept. At this 

 Time we have an agreeable young Man, a Mr Cox of Worcester 

 College — (You must know him— one of your Cotemporaries- — ) 

 who is come to spend some little Time with him. My Younger 

 Son is at home, waiting for his Cousin, Capt. Young's, going out 

 again, when he hopes to go with him. So now I have my four 

 children about me, & God knows when I may have them again. 

 My Son William has promised to protect me, So I am not afraid 

 of the French & Spaniards. I have cut my Hay &; got it well in 

 before these heavy Rains ; a pretty good Quantity of it, consider- 

 ing the Year, & tolerably good for Water-Meadow Hay. I should 

 hate to have it feed French or Spanish Horse, or even English 

 Troopers. I hope to see You here before the Summer is over ; 

 Your little Horse is a Friend & a Favourite & shall have his 

 Batio without Grudging. 



Mr Etty call'd here : I was glad to see his Face, but I 

 thought he did not seem much delighted wth his Errand. 



I saw Mr Wyndham* lately ; he told me he had Hopes* to 

 have seen You, while Grimm was with him ; & that he had been 

 surpriz'd & delighted by the Grandeur of Selbourne Hangers. 



Farewell : I write wth three or four Lads about me ; & my 

 Head & Hand grow tired. You have a good Housewifely Sort 

 of Orthography that fills a large Space wth few Words : they 

 weigh well, I own ; & have the Multum in parvo. 



I am diffuse & light, but ever, my dear Gil, 



Seriously, sincerely & afftely Your's, 



J. Mulso. 



All here join in Love & best wishes. 



Letter 184. 

 Reverend Mr White, Meonstoke. 



at Selbourne near Alton, Hants. Sepr 27, 1779. 



Dear Gil : 



It seems a very odd thing for me to say to You, but I am 

 very glad that You did not come to see me last week. We have 

 had a Scene of great Distress in my house, & it is not yet set 

 to Rights. Our Cook left us ; our Housemaid was ill, but 

 regained a little Strength ; then Mrs Mulso's own Maid was so 



• Penruddock Wyndham, of Warnford, near Westmeon, Hants. 



