THE REV. JOHN WHITE. 45 



yet appeared ; the reason is because he has been detained so 

 long in Nottinghamshire. 



^S *K *(* 'It "SS" -^n 



Our people here, you know, call coppice-wood, or hedge- 

 wood, rice or rise. Now Bro. Thos. has found that this word 

 is pure Saxon ; for hris* signifies frondes. Thus has he vindi- 

 cated this provincial word from contempt. I am lowering my 

 bank in my garden, and throwing its border on an hanging 

 slope : last winter I sank my walks so much, that this altera- 

 tion became necessary. Where is Wollet the draughtsman to 

 be found? Thos. Mulso, who draws sweetly, has taken hints 

 concerning the Hawkley Slip, to be finished in town ; bro 

 Ben has just purchased two freehold houses in S. Lambeth, 

 one of which is to be used as his country house, into which he 

 is to enter as soon as possible. He and Ben. are just gone 

 from us. My sister Bet and Jane and Nanny are still at 

 Newton ; the latter is most marvellously recovered, and will 

 now, I trust, do very well. Poor little Nanny Wood has been 

 ill and has lost her colour. Bro. Harry has got another young 

 man, a 50-pounder ; he has now a fine income, and will soon, 

 I hope, begin to lay by some money. Does your migrating 

 clergyman visit you again this winter ? Ring-ouzels came to 

 us in September. Your snuff-pincers extinguish my candles 

 in a very neat manner. 



With respects to my sister, I remain 



Your loving brother, 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER XXI. 



London, Jan. 30, '76. 



Dear Brother, 

 As you have enjoined me to speak my sentiments with respect 

 to your work, you must not think me didactic and forward in 

 the following pages. It will be well to sweeten and diversify 

 your tables of weather &c. with an alternate page of zool. ca- 



* The top of a tree : "top and lop." 



