THE REV. JOHN WHITE. 29 



can procure yourself a frank and will send it to me, Jack shall 

 transcribe you one sheet that you may see how I have ac- 

 quitted myself, and whether you approve of the manner. 

 My cold and feverish complaint hung so about me at Easter 

 that I did not go at all to the election, expecting every day to 

 be laid up ; but I wrote to the Provost, and sent a renuncia- 

 tion of the living of Cromhall ; as I have done since of the 

 living of Swainswick near Bath, which Ken also dyed pos- 

 sessed of. 



Brother Thomas and Molly will be here, I think, next week 

 in order that Molly may be settled for a while under the care 

 of Mrs. Etty. 



As to building, I have not yet absolutely determined about 

 it ; the next week will be the last week of asking, because 

 the bark of oaks (as I must cut some timber) will not strip or 

 run after that time. I am quite at a loss about the house- 

 martins, as they do not appear yet : the swallows and bank- 

 martins were early ; a pair of swifts came to the church 

 yesterday. 



Mr. Lever, I find, continues wonderfully generous, and 

 helpful by means of his books ; if it was not for the General, 

 you should, I think, dedicate your work to him. In my 

 monography I have made honourable mention of his museum. 

 Pray where did he get his little mouse ? I mean by that to 

 enquire whether it is common in Lancashire. For I con- 

 cluded, as it had escaped Ray, that it did not extend far 

 northward. 



When Brother Thomas comes I will enquire what farther 

 information he has procured with regard to a master for Jack. 

 It is a very difficult matter, it seems, to find a place where all 

 things concur to our wishes. Jack grows stout and tall, but 

 not upright. He says he is five feet six inches and a half 

 without his shoes. 



We began to read Horace's Odes together; but found many 

 of them so indecent for a young man, that we have taken to 

 the Epistles, which are a fine body of ethics, and very enter- 

 taining, and sensible. Jack construes well ; but makes slips 

 with regard to quantity. He is become a very good tran- 



