54 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1749 



On July 17th, 1749, John Mulso writes from Sun- 

 bury, after a visit from his friend : — 



"... You made my Sundays Sabbath days indeed and 

 all the week Festival. We retain several of your expres- 

 sions, and are pleased to fall into your Manner. You steal 

 our songs and we your sayings : in short we are never 

 more pleas'd than when we can set you before us. . . . you 

 have the art to be truly companionable. Miss Hecky has 

 been a Rake and deserted us for two whole days, and went 

 to the Races and Assembly and danced away in company 

 with Lady Musgrave: I wish you was here to hear her 

 description of Races : the Sophoclean ''Qjucoi, woe's me ! was 

 used with energy." 



The future " Admirable Mrs. Chapone " on a race- 

 course suggests indeed a curious picture ! 



He goes on to describe the proposed journey of a 

 family party to Oxford, and continues — 



"Heck is in the greatest alarm, and screamed out on 

 hearing it 'but where's my Busser?'* In short she is 

 apprehensive of a dearth of civilities, because you are not 

 to be there ; and fears she shall not get her Degree, because 

 she has not her favourite Batchelour to answer under." 



The "Heck" here mentioned was his sister, Hester 

 Mulso (b. 1727, d. 1801). 



In Jesse's edition of 'The Natural History of 

 Selborne't the statement is made that "Mr. White 

 in his earlier days was much attached to Miss Mulso 

 (afterwards Mrs. Chapone)," and Mr. Bell| has ex- 



* A nickname which Gilbert White received at Oriel. 



t Vide "The Natural History of Selborne," ed. Jesse, 1854, p. xi. 



t Vide op. ciL Bell's edition, vol. i. p. xxxv. 



