1780 INVITATION TO CHURTON 49 



To the Rev. R. Churton. 



Selborne, near Alton, Hants. 



July 3, 1780. 



Dear Sir, — As I have always wished to express my grati- 

 tude for the many good offices you have conferred on me, I 

 must desire that you would furnish me with an opportunity, 

 by taking the trouble to come to my house, where I shall 

 rejoice to see you in the course of this summer. 



At present my beds are all like to be full for two or three 

 weeks to come ; but by the end of July at farthest I shall 

 be glad to see you for four or five weeks. It will probably 

 be in my power to shew you a new country, and a district 

 not unpleasing in fine weather. If you can bear with the 

 infirmities of a deaf man, your company and conversation 

 will be very agreeable to me ; and in your answer I bar all 

 proposals respecting some future summer, because at my 

 time of life there is little dependence to be made on distant 

 engagements. Pray take me, in the very words of Creech, * 

 "just as I am, very much disposed to receive you, and ready 

 to show you all civilities." 



If you are a botanist, we have a very good Flora, to whom 

 I am willing to introduce you. You are, I find, learned in 

 yew-trees : we have at hand several noble ones. 



We have just found a large stone-urn down at the Priory ; 

 for what use it was made it remains for you to inform us.*!* 



We will examine The Temple, King John's hill, &c. &c. 



I am, with great esteem, 



Y^ obliged, and humble servant, 



Gil. White. 



* Thomas Creech (1659-1701), the translator of Lucretius, Horace, etc. 



t Vide 'The Antiquities of Selborne,' Letter XXVI. , in which this dis- 

 covery is recorded as occurring " two years ago." The "judicious antiquary," 

 mentioned in a note as guessing that the vase might have been a standard 

 measure, was no doubt Dr. Chandler, who, as appears from the postscript to 

 this letter, was at Selborne at the time. 

 VOL. II. — E 



