THE REV. JOHN WHITE. 61 



heavy delapidations. For the money borrowed the resident 

 incumbent is to pay five per cent, and some small proportion 

 of the principall off annually ; a non-resident must pay ten per 

 cent. : and when the borrower dies the residue remains a debt 

 on the living 'till by degrees it is payed off. Mr. Etty, as far 

 as he knows of the matter yet, for neither has he seen the act, 

 approves much of the plan, and thinks he may avail himself of 

 the matter so as to save himself from heavy demands on his 

 family at his death. * * * * 



We had wet weather all the month of May ; but from the 

 10th of June to the 9th of July it was the strangest summer 

 solstice I ever saw — nothing but wind and floods and clouds 

 and wintry doings, so that we kept fires in the parlor most 

 part of the time. We have now sweet weather. 



Respects to my sister. Yours, &c, 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER XXX. 



Ringmer, Sept. 11, 1777. 



Dear Brother, 

 Being informed that Mrs. Snooke was seized with the palsy, 

 and had lost the use of one side, and that her speech was much 

 impaired, and moreover that she was alone by herself without 

 any friend ; I set out at a day's warning, though surrounded 

 with workmen, and arrived here late last Saturday evening. 

 I found the poor old lady in a low languishing state, though 

 better, the people about her told me, than she had been some 

 days before. The next morning she was much mended, and 

 has continued to mend so fast every day that she is become 

 quite another woman ; and Mr. Manning informed me this 

 morning that he has now good hopes of a recovery. 



Brother Harry brought your MS. to Selborne the first week 

 in August ; but, what between an hurry of business, company, 

 and building, I have been able as yet to pay little attention to 

 it. Yet, though I have not payed it that regard which I ought, 



