LETTER CCXVI 329 



perpetual Eains that we have had & still have. I beleive old 

 St Swithin has gigg'd a young St S within, & insisted on a double 

 Share of Pluviosity in right of his Son ! I have got in my poor 

 Modicum of Oats safe. My Barley is not yet cut ; nor hurt, I 

 beleive, as it was not forward. But I see wth Eegrett the Barley 

 of my Neighbours sopping around. We find little Friskiness but 

 in my Cat, who is as ridiculous as ever : we were quite in 

 Concern for two days, having lost her ; but we recover'd her 

 again from a Eamble to Droxford. 



We heard from Jack at Finedon last Post, he is well. We 

 all join in Love & best wishes, & Comps. to Mrs J. White, & 

 what Friends you may have with You. 



I am. Dear Gil, Your's very afftely, 



J. Mulso. 



Letter 216. 

 Eeverend Mr White, Winton. 



Selborne near Alton, Hants. + at Alton. Deer 7, 1785. 



Dear Gil : 



I reed your kind Letter soon after my Arrival here, & 

 have had time enough to answer it over & over again, but I have 

 been discouraged from putting Pen to Paper by having little 

 to tell of but Sickness ; a Subject on which you may find many 

 & various anecdotes in every part of ye world. Mrs M. & my 

 Daughters have taken their Turns ; & my Wife, whose com- 

 plaints are Gout or Eheumatism or both, is too likely to 

 continue a Grumbler. As to myself, I have been stouter than 

 usual, having been kept from Church but one day since We 

 came ; & that by severe weather. I am glad that You have had 

 the Satisfaction of so many young & chearfuU Companions about 

 You. I think you had as good stay where You are, as I see 

 an Account of House breaking & audacious Doings at South 

 Lambeth, & of Eogues seen in your Brother's fields. Could you 

 keep your circle about You, I should preferr the safe Eetreat of 

 Selborne to ye dangerous Brilliancy of a London Neighbourhood. 

 I heartily join in your Satisfaction on the Provost of Oriell's 

 kind Promise to yr Brother Harry's Son : but will he live to be 

 as good as his word ? I hear, poor man, of a dangerous State 

 of Health that he is in. I am not going to wish you Joy of 

 Tortworth Living : I am sure You will never think of it ; for if 

 every thing went quite smooth there, neither the Country, or 

 the Modes of collecting your Income are at all to your Mind. 

 Get some pretty sinecure tenable wth your Fellowship : Live on 

 at Selborne & be Cotemporary wth Jack Mulso still. I could not 

 but be much shock'd & surprized at the Death of poor John 

 Bosworth. How strange are the Ways of Providence ! One 



