1783 THE VEESES ADMIEED 101 



My tulips are blown out, but are as yet small : but you 

 must observe that the cups of those flowers keep enlarging 

 almost as long as they continue in perfection. Andrew 

 Etty is worse, and Mrs. Etty not well. 



On July 12th, 1783, Mulso, referring to the 

 little sets of verses which his friend had recently 

 composed, wrote : — 



" That I thoroughly admired all your lines I think I told 

 you; but I communicated them to many friends, and you 

 gained just as many admirers ; and even transcribed them 

 all to my sister Chapone ; now I shall observe that she liked 

 the ' Eainbow ' least, and Mr. Nott liked it best ; I do not 

 know which flattered your opinion most. But all the Pieces 

 were much admired. I did not know which to prefer ; they 

 seemed to be professedly imitations of several stiles of 

 poets, and in that they seemed equally just. You must 

 not wonder that you did not hear from my daughters upon 

 it, to whom they were directed. They could hardly be 

 answered but in their own way, and that they did not dare 

 to attempt." 



To Miss WhUe. Selborne, Aug. 8, 1783. 



Dear Molly, — Whenever your brothers want a walk, pray 

 desire them to go to the nursery -garden, late Shields, and to 

 buy me two dozen of the roots of the Dog's toothed violets, 

 and to pay for them, and then to bring them to you, who 

 will, I trust, bring them to Selborne when you come. 



I once wished to have had your father here early in July ; 

 but since I no wise regret that I was disappointed. For the 

 weather turned out, the month through, violently hot, so 

 that nobody could stir about. Now your father, I know% 

 when at Selborne, loves to bustle about, and to have some- 

 what in pursuit, and to take walks before dinner. But last 

 month I could neither walk or ride ; for the flies tormented 



