1783 



AGKEEABLE YOUNG MEN 103 



Gilbert White's nephews, Samuel Barker and John 

 White, visited him early in August. From Selborne 

 they went to spend the day with John Mulso, who 

 wrote on August 26th, 1783 : — 



" I thank you for sending me over two such agreeable and 

 accomplished young men. They put me in mind of the 

 times in which we used to take our airings together, and seek 

 for every high hill and every green tree. I have confessed 

 to them that I am broken-winded; they have hinted the 

 same of your horse, but not of yourself ; but tell me that 

 you are well and in spirits. My sister Chapone is here. 

 She seemed alarmed that I had told you that she did not 

 like your imitation of Milton; that I did not, nor I could 

 not, justly say ; but I said that she liked it the least of the 

 three, and for this you have assigned, perhaps, the just 

 reason. We all here love to talk of you and your place." 



The curious long-continued haze described in the 

 following letter was noticed at some length in ' The 

 Natural History of Selborne,' Letter LXV. to 

 Barrington. The cause, which was unknown to the 

 writer, was presumably the fine dust floating in the 

 atmosphere, following a violent volcanic eruption. 

 So far Gilbert White's commentators are agreed, 

 but none of them have traced this occurrence to its 

 origin, which was undoubtedly a tremendous volcanic 

 outbreak in Iceland, in June, 1783, in or near the 

 SkaptarjokuU on the north-west border of the Vatna- 

 jokuU. 



To the Rev. E. Ghurton. Seleburne, Aug. 20, 1783. 



Dear Sir, — Though my house is full of company, yet 

 I must no longer delay to answer your agreeable and 



