348 LBTTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



Blessing of the glorious Eevolution ; and of Frenchmen wanting 

 a Rap of their Knuckles for representing Freedom by Licencious- 

 ness. Strange Doings ! and we can only hope that good may 

 come out of Evil. 



How is your sweet Retreat this Year ? what are your Enjoy- 

 ments & what Friends have You about You ? Let me hear from 

 you, my old Friend, now & then ; if I was not sollicitious about 

 you, I should not deserve You. I hear of the Success of your 

 nephew John in the Obstetric Way, & his producing Tripletts. 



I have this week had a Letter from my Sister Mulso ; it was 

 in her kindest way & very afifectionate. It pleased me greatly, 

 for it is many a long Year since She has thus express'd her Love. 



My Sister Chapone has had Mr Hunter's Judgement upon a 

 Complaint that She thought a Dropsy. He has much eased her 

 by saying that he sees no such Disorder in her, but as She is 

 sensible of Disorder, She cannot be quite at her Ease. As to 

 Sister Mulso She is, I suppose, fallen in Love wth her Illness, 

 & like a True ascetic declares this to be ye happiest Time of her 

 Life ; which puts mo in Mind of the Bramin & his tenpenny Nail 



in his . My Sister Chapone goes to Bath on Thursday to 



visit the Widow Mrs Beavoir. She desired me to ask You if 

 You had read Dr Darwin's Loves of the Plants. She admires 

 the Poetry ; but ye Subject, ah pah I " with the Loves of Flowers, 

 says She, one might play with one's Fancy ; but the Loves of 

 Stamens & Pistills is too much for my Strength." 



Accept all our Loves & Services. I have written beyond my 

 Strength, tho' I had more to say : but I must go & recruit with 

 a Dinner. Farewell, my dear Gil, & continue to remember with 

 Tenderness, 



Your old & sincere Friend, 



John Mulso. 



Comps. to Mrs White. 



LetUr 229. 

 Reverend Mr White, Winchester, 



Selbome near Alton, Hants. + at Alton. Deer 16, 1790. 



Dear Gil : 



Your kind Letter of Enquiry after me, address'd to my 

 Daughter, came to Us this Morning, and She would herself have 

 answer'd the Favour, had I not thought that it would be more 

 satisfactory to an old Friend to have an Account of myself from 

 my own Pen. 



Had I ever so many Years of Life to be added to the past, 

 the Year 1790 would be probably set down as the most disastrous 

 of my Life. I will not harangue on the Excess of my Loss by 

 describing to You the Excellences of my dear departed Wife ; 



