218 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1773 



did it haunt the tops of the tallest trees, or low bush- 

 hedges; did it sing by night by day? Many children 

 continue to die of the measles, among the rest the 

 youngest of Mrs. Hale's this morning; and the whooping 

 cough rather gets worse than better. Poor Nanny Woods's 

 cough is very bad; and she is very weak, and mends very 

 slowly. 

 Mr. Knight of Street house is dead. 



With respects to my sister, I remain 



Your affectionate, and obliged brother, 



Gil. White. 



Earlier in the year Mrs. Chapone had published 

 her * Letters on the Improvement of the Mind,' 

 which were written for the instruction of her niece, 

 Miss Mulso. Though Mrs. Chapone is best known 

 to the present generation as an object of Thackeray's 

 satire, her brother, John Mulso, was able to write 

 to his friend, dating from Meonstoke, July 5th, 

 1773— 



" My sister Chapone ... I have not seen since the great 

 harvest of her fame. She is much gratified by the praises 

 that resound on all sides, and indeed I fairly think that she 

 deserves them." 



To the Rev. John White. 



Selborne, Aug. 2, 1773. 



Dear Brother, — I find you still, as well as when you 

 resided on the other side of the Pyrenean mountains, my 

 most steady and communicative correspondent; and there- 

 fore it will be my own fault if our epistolary intercourse 

 should languish. 



Jack has had a frock of a good dark colour; and shall 



