1778 "IL FAUT CULTIVEE NOTEE JARDIN" 31 



well at her age. I hear of accommodations, but I trust no 

 reports ; at the same time I am not apt to fear them. Wrap 

 up your content in the conclusion of Voltaire's Candide, 

 ' II faut cultiver notre jardin ' ! " 



"We met sister Chapone at the Castle, who helped to 

 enliven the place." 



To Miss White. 



Selborne, Oct. 19, 1778. 



Dear Molly, — Bating your account of your father's in- 

 disposition, which I hope will be very short, your letter was 

 very agreeable to me; and particularly the circumstance 

 which intimates your intention of coming down next 

 Monday. Nothing, I hope, will prevent so agreeable an 

 event ; and I will take care to send Thomas in time on that 

 day to meet you at the inn at Chawton. 



For some mornings past we have experienced severe frosts 

 for the time of year, which have stripped my vines of all 

 their leaves, and left a fine crop of grapes naked, and 

 forlorn on the walls ; they used to be cloathed with foliage 

 'til the middle of next month ! So you must come and eat 

 grapes every day, or they will be spoiled. 



A Selborne man was aboard the Porcupine sloop when 

 she took the French India rich ship. I saw a letter from 

 him this morning, in which he says that his share will come 

 to £300. This will be some recompence to the poor fellow, 

 who was kid-napped in an ale-house at Botley by a press- 

 gang, as he was refreshing himself in a journey to this place. 

 The young man was bred a carter, and never had any 

 connection with sea-affairs. 



Your hand-writing is very fair, and handsome : pray keep 

 it up; and don't scribble it away. Nanny Barker is a 

 very good correspondent ; but spoils her hand by writing too 

 fast. A little patience would make her also a good pen- 

 woman. 



