1785 ANECDOTE FROM SELBOKKE 147 



To Mrs. B, White 



at Horace's head 



Fleet street, London. 



Sepr. 20, 1785. 



Dear Niece, — I fully intended to have made some catchup 

 for you, and your father ; but the mushrooms fail again, as 

 they did last year, to such a degree that we have not 

 been able to raise half a pint. Last week Mrs. Burbey 

 had a respectable farmer, a cousin, with her on a visit. 

 This person waked in the night, and found himself standing 

 naked in the cart-way with his night-cap in his hand. 

 How he came there he could not imagine : but there was 

 just light enough for him to see that the sash of his 

 chamber was up ; and therefore he concluded he must have 

 come down from thence. Finding the doors all locked, he 

 was forced to call up the family, who were astonished to 

 see their visitor in his shirt, and much confused and 

 frightened. The poor man received a cut on the sole of 

 one of his feet, and a small contusion on one knee: and 

 this was all the harm that he received from descending, 

 fast asleep, for the space of twelve feet and a half, down 

 on the bare pavement. Mr. S. Barker is with me; and I 

 expect uncle Harry this week for two nights ; and perhaps 

 Betsey,* who, I hope, will stay a little. Your father in 

 law and sisters, &c. are all well. Newton's vicar has got 

 his harpsichord down; and I can borrow Mrs. Etty's. 

 Mary and Hannah f are most woefully overhatted, so that 

 they look like Jenny Diver, and Miss ISlamerkin in the 

 ^Beggar's OperaJ Tell your father that I have seen no 

 Serapias in bloom all this autumn. 



y loving uncle, 



Gil. White. 



* Daughter of Henry White. 



+ Daughters of Benjamin White, senior. 



