THE REV. JOHN WHITE. 25 



LETTER XL 



Fariugdon, March 6 [not later than 1774]. 



Dear Brother, 

 Mr. Webb, as you say, is, I believe, a good natured man, and 

 in good business. I have made some enquiries round about 

 by means of Mr. Yalden ; but the answer was, that at pre- 

 sent he did not think it convenient to take an apprentice. So 

 it is needless to say anything farther on that subject. 



What is become of your friend Gen. Cornwallis ? I have 

 never seen any mention of his arrival. 



You never let me know whereabout your expences came for 

 the fitting up of your house. I talk of building a parlor : but 

 when it comes to the point I have fears about the trouble ; 

 besides green walls will not be habitable till the second year. 

 In what language did you write to Linnaeus ? and in what did 

 he answer you ? 



The late decree in the house of Lords concerning literary 

 property will make booksellers shy of publishing new editions, 

 as it renders such property very precarious. There is in Lon- 

 don a strange spirit of decrying Linn., which seems to obtain 

 more and more ; I think, without any reason. Just as infidels 

 rail at the S. S. tho' at the same time their minds are much 

 enlightened by them. Mr. Twiss had written me word that 

 he would come and see me in the winter. At Xmas I invited 

 him again ; but he was gone into Staffordshire on family 

 business, and when he returned had no more time to spare. 



By the death of Mr. John Warnford, Skinner is put in the 

 possession of the living of Bassingham in the county of Lin- 

 coln, on the Witham, midway between Newark and Lincoln. 

 His living was set in 1663 st 8d per acre ; and so it continues; 

 was it let only at Is. 6d. it would be a noble parsonage, now 

 it rents about 200 guineas. Skinner is to stay in coll. 

 about five weeks longer. If you want to consult him about 

 your fauna why don't you write to him? Direct for Skinner, 

 after five weeks, at Passingham near Newark. 



