298 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



Day of the Post), instead of the 15th (Saturday) on which I am 

 writing, it becomes the first Day of the Week. We can contrive 

 to furnish You wth a Bed ; as to John of Lr — we will get him 

 a Bed in the Neighbourhood, for we shall not chuse to part wth 

 him quite so soon, after so long an Absence. My Sister Chapone 

 is now wth Us ; She had Thoughts of being fetched off to St. 

 Marie's by Mrs Ogle in this Week ; but She has had no Answer 

 to her Letter. You have therefore the better Chance, if You 

 come early in the Week, to see her ; which would not be an 

 unentertaining Part of the Excursion. I shall therefore hope to 

 see You on Tuesday : You will have Time to ride over easy, as 

 We do not dine 'till rather after Three. 



If your Brother &ca are wth You, I beg my best Comps. to 

 them. All here join in best wishes & Hopes of seeing You. 

 I am ever, Dear Gil, Your's afftely 



J. Mulso. 



Letter 193. 



Reverend Mr White, Meonstoke. 



at Selbourne near Alton, Hants. + at Alton. Sep: 20, 1781. 

 Dear Gil : 



I reed your Lettr on Fryday last. I answer'd it on Sunday 

 (our first Post) & I made the Mark + at Alton. I expected from 

 thence that You would have reed it on ye Sunday Eveg on which 

 it set forth ; or if your Servant did not go for ye Letters 'till 

 Monday, that he would find it then. I therefore appointed 

 Tuesday for your Coming with Jack White, whom we should 

 have been glad to have seen. I told You that my Sistr Chapone 

 was wth us, to whet your Industry ; but She leaves us, alass, 

 tomorrow. Tuesday was a wet morning, we therefore thought 

 You deferred your Ride. Wednesday was fine, & behold. You 

 are not here ! . This makes me suspect that the Letter never 

 reached You. I am on all Accounts heartily vexed. I shall 

 detain this Today 'till near the Post Hour, that if You come — 

 (tho'j why so late in the Week?) — you may not have it cross 

 You, & pay for it for Nothing. But write I would, that You 

 may not think that I neglected an Opportunity of seeing You 

 & your Nephew ; or that We are from home. We have already, 

 this week, been pester'd wth the Mistakes of the Post, & my 

 Sister is dissappointed by it of meeting Mrs Ogle at Winchester, 

 who comes on purpose to carry her to St. Marie's. The Lr of 

 Mrs Ogle was 9 Days coming hither after it's Date. Let me 

 hear from You, or see You on the Receipt of this. You might 

 be of great Service to me on Sunday next, could You be spared 

 from your own Church, as my Curate leaves me on Purpose 



