150 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE me 



morning came snow ; since which the frost has been severe. 

 This morning the thermometer abroad at 24°. There are 

 in this village hand-bills sticking up signifying "that on 

 Thursday there will be shot for at the Red Lion at Oak- 

 hanger a good fat porker, yards for inches, at a card : all 

 to charge out of the same bag: and also two boar-pigs to 

 be bowled for." Other bills say, " that at Faringdon on the 

 28th a good watch of one guinea value is to be played at 

 farmering for : he that wins the farm the three first times 

 to have the watch." Such are the amusements of this 

 neighbourhood at this season of festivity. This evening I 

 had a letter from Mrs. Barker in which she says, that 

 Mrs. Brown is to lie in about the end of March. Upon 

 which I remark, well done Mrs. Brown ! well done Mrs. 

 Clement ! and so vice versa : for I think they are well 

 matched, and will run a hard heat. Tell Nephew Tom I 

 thank him for his letter, and will write soon. I can scan 

 his verses and think the measure very pretty. 



With due respects I conclude 



Your loving uncle, 



Gil. White. 



To Mrs. B. White. 



Jan. 16, 1786. 



Dear Molly, — Though I have little to say, yet as James 

 Etty is going to town I would not omit the opportunity 

 of writing by him. 



We are to thank you for the salt-fish, which came safe 

 and is very good. Mrs. Clement came to Newton yesterday 

 with her little family, who are to be inoculated at the 

 vicarage at Newton this evening. Nephew Edmund set out 

 for Oxford last Friday, some days sooner than he first 

 intended, and proposes to return by way of London about 

 the 20th of February. The rains and snows are, and have 

 been so great lately that the ground is quite glutted with 



