1781 THE PROVOST OF ORIEL DIES 77 



Probably he thought himself too old at sixty-one 

 to undertake new and important duties, and had 

 become too much attached to Selborne to leave it. 

 That he was engaged in compiling his book is shown 

 by the following letter of December 4th, 1781, from 

 the niece mentioned : — 



" Agreeable to your request I have written out the passages 

 in Verstegan and Chaucer. . . . My uncle Benj" says he has 

 seen the grey crow on Selborne-Common : we are in doubt 

 whether it is in your list of birds. 



" Pray add to your provincial words Merise, a small bitter 



Cherry says the French dictionary (perhaps from Amarus). 



... * October had the name of Wyn-monat, and albeit they 



had not antiently wines made in Germany, yet in this 



season had they them from divers countries adjoining ; rather 



because in this month ' — 



' . . . pocula laeti 

 Fermento atque acidis imitantur vitea sorbis.' 



" I wish for Fermento we might read Frumento. . . . 



"Extract from Chaucer's 'Floure and the Leafe.' 



'And to a pleasant grove I gan to pas, 

 Long or the bright Sonne uprisn was ; 

 In which were okes grete, streight as a line. 

 Under the which the grasse so fresh of hewe, 

 Was newly sprong ; and an eight foot or nine 

 Every tree wel fro his fellow grew. 

 With braunches brode, laden with leves newe, 

 That sprongen out ayen the Sonne shene. 

 Some very redde, and some a glad light grene.' " 



To Miss White. Seleburne, Deer. 19, 1781. 



Dear Mrs. Mary, 



The young Antiquary, — Your letter of the fourth of this 

 month afforded us much pleasure and information. D"^ 

 Chandler thinks that you now deserve more than ever to be 

 made S. A. S. : by the first S. I suppose he means Soror. 



