28 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1778 



To Mrs. Barker. 



Selborne, Sep. 2, 1778. 



Dear Sister, — My thanks are due for your kind letter. 

 I have now the pleasure of seeing my house full of friends. 

 My niece Anne Barker pleases me much, and is a sensible 

 intelligent young woman. Mrs. K. Isaac has not been here 

 for 25 years ; and finding every thing much altered, hardly 

 knows the place again. Molly White and your daughter 

 seem well pleased to meet again. Jenny and Becky White* 

 are to come to Newton this week: Mrs. Yalden pressed 

 their mother much to come ; but she is in a very poor way, 

 and chose to wave the journey. Mrs. Snooke has just 

 written to me with her own hand: she did not complain 

 much. Last post I had a letter from Blackburn: my 

 brother's state of health and spirits is much the same : my 

 poor sister makes sad complaint, and laments the state of 

 their family : indeed they both merit the compassion of 

 their friends. My great parlor is now of singular service ; 

 but while it is so empty the echo is very troublesome. I 

 have a new bed in my little red room ; and have put my 

 old white bed up in my late drawing-room,f where I lie, as 

 you ordered me. Brother Harry's school thrives : he has 

 just got three new pupils, and expects one more. His house 

 is now quite full. My peaches ripen ; but, the summer con- 

 sidered, are not so fine as might be expected. We have 

 fine wheat ; and a vast crop of hops. Barley and oats are 

 lean and poor. The failure of turnips is miserable ! 



Your loving brother, 



Gil. White. 



* Daughters of Benjamin White. 



t This room was over the kitchen on the first floor, looking into the 

 garden. Mr. Bell notes that in this room the Naturalist died. 



