224 GILBEKT WHITE OF SELBOENE 1773 



a violent storm from the N. which damaged all our hops to a 

 great degree, and particularly Sir S, Stuart's which were very- 

 fine. Hops will be dear, and bad. 



Mrs. W. Isaac is with me at present. She brought her 

 son Bap[tist] that he might stand for a scholarship of 

 Winton Coll. we went this week, and left him with the 

 usher, where he is to continue as a commoner 'til taken 

 into College. My wall has produced about 10 dozen of 

 most lovely peaches and nectarines : and I have a fine show 

 for grapes. 



I have written to Mr. Twiss, and invited him to come : 

 but he says he cannot possibly be spared from the fortifica- 

 tions 'til Winter. 



Swifts left us about the hot week. Young martins continue 

 to come out daily. 



[N'anny Woods is quite recovered. 



Mr. Etty's Portugal brother is here at present. 



How can Mr. Curtis* leave his shop, and go to Gibraltar 

 in pursuit of natural history ? 



Jack makes English themes, and writes letters : we have 

 gone through Phaed. and now read Virg. Georgics, and 

 Sallust. 



Mr. Lever, I find, is an excellent practical ornithologist : 

 if we are to correspond, who is to break the ice ? and on 

 what subjects are we to exchange thoughts ? He will, I hope, 

 study system. 



Mr. Bassat's new house is all wild still ; no room finished : 

 he will run into great expense. 



We have now a very wet and windy season : a sad time 

 for barley -harvest, and hop-picking : most of our wheat was 

 housed in very nice order. 



* William Curtis, author of the 'Flora Londinensis, ' and several 

 entomological works. He was also the discoverer of the real nature of 

 honey-dew, but not to be confounded with John Curtis, a very well-known 

 entomologist. — A. N. 



