210 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1739 



a rock, about 90 yards deep, in Derbyshire. I did not 

 take any of their nests, nor, indeed, did I see any; but 

 I heard them chattering most loquaciously, and perhaps 

 "disturbed their ancient solitary reign" by throwing stones 

 into their little kingdom, when I was in Derbyshire about 

 5 years ago. I go to town on Saturday and return the 

 Monday se'nnight. I shall probably hear of you in Fleet 

 Street, and in a short time, I hope (though I am un- 

 reasonable to expect it), be favoured with a letter. You 

 will be so good as to remember me with my best wishes and 

 respects to Mr. T. White, who, I understand, is now with 

 you, as also to Mr. Edm. White, &c. 



I am, dear Sir, 

 Your sincere and much obliged humble servant, 



R. Churton. 



D"" Bostock has gained a Chancery suit and another son. 

 Remember me to Miss Reeve when she calls next. 



To the Rev. B. Churton. 



Seleburne, Dec. 4, 1789. 



Dear Sir, — Tho' Oxford appears to my timid apprehensions 

 to recede every year farther and farther from Selborne ; yet 

 to you who are in the prime and vigour of life, Selborne 

 ought not to be one inch more removed from Oxford than 

 when I first knew you ; therefore we shall depend much on 

 seeing you at Xtmass as usual. I have much to say to you : 

 for surely we live in a most eventful and portentous period ; 

 when wars, devastations, revolutions, and insurrections crowd 

 so fast upon the back of one another that a thinking mind 

 cannot but suppose that providence has some great work 

 in hand ! But of all these strange commotions, the sudden 

 overthrow of the French despotic monarchy is the most 

 wonderful — a fabrick which has been now erecting for near 

 two centuries, and whose foundations were laid so deep, that 



