286 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1775 



to your native place* I have disposed of in part; such 

 gratuities in these hard times are very acceptable. Mrs. 

 Isaac writes me word that her Aunt Weston dyed intestate, 

 and that by standing in her mother's shoes she shall come 

 in for about £5,000. Altogether her children will be finely 

 provided for. I am concerned to hear that Mrs. K. Isaac 

 has such poor health. 



With respects to all the family, I conclude, 



Dear sister, your affectionate 



and obliged brother, 



Gil. White. 



Mr. and Mrs. Etty and Mece join in respects. Friends 

 are well at Newton. Brother John is in pretty good 

 forwardness with his ' Fauna Calpensis/ or Natural History 

 of Gibraltar. 



I forgot to tell my nephew in the proper place that 

 Dryden's ode on St. Cecilia is nothing else for an hundred 

 lines together, but beautiful numbers finely adapted to the 

 sense. He will, I hope, write soon. 



Fierce frost at present with snow ; woe to the wallfruit ! 



On May 14th, 1775, Mulso writes : — 



I am diverted with your effort to ally me to Sir Kenelm 

 Digby. Could you prove me next heir to his genius or 

 estate, it might do something. But as to the precarious 

 relation to the Mulsos of Gothurst in Bucks — tho' it wears a 

 face — vix ea nostra voco ... As for your itch of building, 

 nothing cures it but experience. You would have great 

 pleasure and pride in an essay or two, but upon a repetatur 

 idem you would shrug your shoulders. But, nevertheless, 

 try — for the Devil of Taste will haunt you in your sleep — 

 " Aude aliquid — Car cere dignum" It will go off in one 



• Mrs. Barker annually sent her brother one guinea for the poor of 

 Selbome. 



