42 LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER 



Lever has opened his museum at half a guinea per head. 

 Harry has got a fine roomy kitchen indeed, and will have a 

 fine parlor over. This addition shuts all his buildings finely 

 together; and nothing is to be regretted but the expense. 

 Sister Harry has got another fine boy, whose name is Edward. 

 Nanny White is in a poor languishing way, still at lodgings 

 near Vauxhall. Edward White is gone on trial to Mr. John 

 Hounsom, linendraper in Fleet Street. The father is to advance 

 with him a fee of £250 ; and the master makes a merit of 

 taking so little, and says that from a stranger he should have 

 demanded £300. 



When opportunity serves, pray read Dr. Johnson's 'Journey 

 thro' Scotland,' and Dr. Burney's ' Tour thro' Europe to make 

 enquiries into the present state of musick.' Thanks for your 

 information about cotton-cnps. 



Should you not produce in your work a short comparative 

 table of weather at Gib., Selborne, and N. America? Kalm 

 will furnish you with the barom., thermom., &c. of America. 

 I herewith send you my best account of the cobweb shower of 

 1741. What is said of spiders shooting webs, and flying &c. 

 in Ray's Letters is so much, that it cannot be transcribed. 

 You should consult Ray's Letters *. 



When first I came I fully intended to have sent you my ac- 

 count of the cobweb shower : but this house is so full that I 

 have no opportunity of being long enough alone to think ac- 

 curately on any subject ; so I must defer that part till I write 

 again. We have continual wet weather: and farmers are sadly 

 hindered in their spring crop : stormy and wet this day, 

 March 11. 



When Hesiod says that the chirping note of the Cicada 

 conies from under its wings, he expresses himself thus — 



AevBpeco efpe^opevos Xiyvprjv KaraxeveT uoi8t)v 

 YIvkvov vno Trrepvyav. v. 5S4. 



Is there not a Frenchman who claims this discovery? 



Sure insects have been more abroad this winter than usual : 

 and lately, in our little interval of fine weather, many species 



* [Seep. L82, Vol. I.— T. B.] 



