1776 ME. HOLT'S LEGACIES 303 



the latter invariably approached all business matters 

 that came in his way : — 



To Thomas Barker. Thames Street, Feb. 7, 1776. 



Dear Sir, — Our snow, like yours, was not very great, but 

 most marvelously drifted through the hedges, so as to fill all 

 our lanes and cover the gates. I was forced to dig my way 

 out of the village and to ride for two Sundays following 

 to Faringdon attended by pioneers. As long as I stayed, 

 the thermometer continued abroad at 20°. But on Jan. 

 28th (Thomas writes me word) it fell to 7°, on 29th to 6°, on 

 the 30th it was at 10°, and on the 31st it descended half 

 a degree below 0° ! ! a degree of cold beyond any instance 

 that I have yet heard of ! There was a rime. At S. Lambeth 

 it was at 7°. 



Mr. Holt's blotted will continues still in the same dubious 

 state. You will please to observe that his heir at law 

 (supposing the will invalid) will have nothing to do with 

 his effects, which are all personal ; but his next of kin, viz. 

 ourselves and Mr. Tawke and Mrs. Tuck, and, as Mr. Butcher 

 says, two sons of a Mr. Ch. Holt, who like ourselves are all 

 descended from the same common ancestor, our great Grand- 

 father Mr. Holt of, I think, Petersfield, who had two wives 

 and two families: but with this difference, that we stand 

 only in half blood to Mr. Holt of Thornty^ and the other 

 parties in whole blood. But this makes no difference with 

 respect to personals ; for half hlood shares equally with whole 

 in personals: of this I have known instances. Mr. Holt, 

 after legacies of £700, bequeaths all the rest to the foundling 

 and lying-in (lying he calls^|it) hospitals: but adds, that 

 if there should at his death subsist more than one lying-in 

 hospital, that his executor shall at his own discretion pro- 

 portion their shares. Now it happens that there are seven 

 lying-in hospitals, and the executor's name is so totally 



