LETTER CLXXXIX 293 



choly of the Family about Bell Ogle, but from ye Effects of ye 

 hot weather. We have had a long Continuance of the same 

 Easterly wind & Drought, 'till these two last Days ; except 

 indeed one Thunder Storm, which perhaps did not reach You ; 

 it was not felt at "Winchester. We have now had an Abundance 

 of Eain, which I hope has spoilt Nothing that is down, & will 

 benefit what is not cut of ye Harvest. 



Our Snipes (which Mrs M — mentioned to you fm Farnham) 

 were large, fat, & high flavour'd ; & ye Gamekeeper said he could 

 shoot at them every day. My Son has shot a Stint or Summer 

 Snipe since we came home ; but it was quite a distinct Bird, 

 &, when dress'd, not bigger than a Lark. Was our Dish, or was 

 it not, a Curiosity ? I do not remember your ever shooting a 

 Snipe at Oxford in Summer, where there used to be Plenty in 

 Winter : at that Time You used to practise wth your Gun in 

 Summer to steady your Hand for Winter, & inhospitably fetch 

 down our Visitants, the Birds of Passage. What You was then 

 is my son John now ; I see him wth his Eod & Line at ye Canall, 

 & his Gun lodged agst a Tree, a complicated Murderer. 



I am much obliged by your kind Intention of calling upon Us 

 at Meonstoke. There at least we can talk of seeing Selbourne ; 

 but, alass, my friend, opportunities happen seldom to me now, 

 and I fear for this Year the Shew is gone by. 



We were very glad to see Mr & Mrs Yalden look so well, 

 & to hear him give so good an Account of Himself. I hope ye 

 rest of your Neighbours are well. We beg our Eespects to them. 



We all join in sincere Love & best wishes to You & Your's, 

 I am, Dear Gil, Ever afftely Your's, 



J. Mulso. 



Pray can You tell Mrs M. what is become of Miss Shutter ? 



Letter 189. 

 Reverend Mr White, Meonstoke. 



Selbourne near Alton, Hants. + at Alton. Sepr 21, 1780. 



Dear Gil : 



We were very much dissappointed here at not seeing You at 

 the Time expected, & much concerned when we learn'd from You 

 the Cause, of which we now hope You find Yourself better. I 

 was sorry to hear of the Return of the ague to yr Bror Thomas, 

 when at Fyfield, as I had hoped You had extirpated that villainous 

 Distemper at Selbourne root & Branch. 



We cannot wait upon You this Year. Several little family 

 Circumstances concurr to oblige us to postpone our Visit. But 

 indeed the Time of the Year is a Cause sufficient to Mrs Mulso 

 & Myself. At this Turn to Cold and Frosts her Soreness of 

 Throat has given her an Alarm, & I have been a great Sufferer 



