1784 



HIGH POOE RATES 131 



smitten by the hail) does not ripen together: some part is 



very green, while some is dead ripe. 



Your loving uncle, 



Gil. White. 



To Miss White. 



Selborne, August 31, 1784. 



Dear Molly, — My sealing-wax, paper, and coffee came safe 

 by my nephews : the latter by mistake was directed for Mrs. 

 Etty. That gentlewoman had left Selborne just before your 

 letter arrived : she is gone to Priestlands. We expected Mr. 

 Taylor last week to come and take possession of Selborne 

 living : but he came not. He must be inducted soon. We 

 have had a sad, cold, wet wheat-harvest: much wheat is 

 housed in a poor cold state. The poor steal the farmers 

 corn by night :'^ the losers offer rewards, but in vain. My 

 quantity of fruit is very great : but nothing ripens. Much 

 of the wheat of Selborne will be bad, especially what was 

 smitten by the hail: a great proportion of it will never be 

 ripe. Lord Eodney the other day came to look at Hartley- 

 house, which he says he will take, if the trustees will put it 

 in repair. Mr. Wilmot is threatened with £200 delapida- 

 tions ! The newspapers will tell you of the princely diver- 

 sions that were carryed on lately at Up-parkf for the 

 amusement of the Prince of Wales, Jack-ass races, and men 

 jumping in sacks afforded the principal sport! Charles 

 Etty was there, and many folks from these parts. A hungry 

 dog came the other night, and standing on his hind-legs, 

 pulled off as many of my ripe apricots as he could reach: 

 many of which he swallowed, and many he left half eaten 

 on the ground. The thief with me was a real dog, canis; 



* How badly off the poor were at this time may be gathered from Henry 

 White of Fyfield's Journal — 



" 1784, April 15th. Parish meeting, y^ Poor Rates higher than ever, 16 ! 

 Rates, 3 more than ever was known before, but 13 last year." [A Rate was 2d.] 



t In Sussex, near Petersfield. 



