1770 MULSO SUGGESTS SPECTACLES 189 



He would return an hundredfold, he said — indeed he has 

 done that already to me in several instances. I must 

 entreat you therefore to lay by a Specimen or two for Lee 

 if you can spare them. I left the Hirundo rupestris with 

 Nancy Lee to figure, received it a day or two ago drawn 

 inimitably. I wish you much to see it. I met with a 

 cruel disappointment in not finding Drury* at home, whose 

 collection of Insects I went to Town almost on Purpose to 

 see. I called at your Brother's in Fleet-street, but my 

 friend Benjamin and he were gone to Kingmer. I met with 

 Hudson who was civil and gave me a curious plant or two 

 and some Insects. I have scarce room to assure you that I 

 am with sincere regard 



Your much obliged and obed*^ Hble Serv*, 



W. Sheffield. 



Writing on December 8th, 1770, Mulso says : — 



" Have you sent my Fly to Jack [John White], and has he 

 acknowledged the receipt ? and was he pleased to see a little 

 effort of an old friend to amuse him ? Why do you not tell 

 me of all these things, and of what he says of the Spanish 

 camps, and the apprehensions of the garrison about it, or 

 whether these things are the monsters of the stockjobbers ? 

 I desire you to get some spectacles ; I own, as a Batchelor, 

 that it may have an awkward look before Ladies, but I 

 should get a great deal more out of you in half a sheet of 

 paper, for you now write a hand so preposterously large, that 

 one of my pages contains more than three of yours ; and as 

 you now write alone by the fireside in the evening before 

 you go over to Mr. Etty's, you may unpannell your hose, 

 taking care to rub the sides a little, and no one be the wiser 

 for it but myself ! " 



* The well-known entomologist. Author of 'Illustrations of Natural 

 History, wherein are exhibited upwards of 240 figures of exotic Insects, 

 etc.,' published in London in three volumes, 1770-82. — A. N. 



