CHAPTER XL 



To the Rev. John White. 



Selborne, Jan. 12, 1774. 



Dear Brother, — As I made no manner of doubt but that 

 your many kind and repeated invitations were very sincere, 

 you will, I fear, feel a little disappointed when you come to 

 find the purport of this letter. But I desire you would hear 

 what I have to say before you condemn me. 



I wrote to Mr. Roman * signifying a desire of being set 

 at liberty from his cure, and fixing a day. He returned me 

 a very handsome friendly answer, in which he wished me 

 still to continue; and as he understood a desire to visit 

 distant friends made me uneasy under restraint, he was 

 ready at once to advance my salary to £50 per annum, f 

 hoping that sum would enable me to procure assistance 

 from Oxon. or elsewhere, whenever I wanted to take a long 

 journey. 



This proposal concurring, as you know, with my constant 

 wish of reserving an employ to return to, has at present 

 put a stop to my N. expedition; and has put me upon 

 trying every expedient for procuring a substitute by writing 

 to J. Mulso, brother H., Skinner, &c., &c. What I could 

 wish is, to be at liberty after Easter to visit you from Oxon. 

 For I must not pretend so totally to disregard College 



* Rector of Faringdon, whose curate Gilbert White was. 

 t It was £40. 



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