136 CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS FAMILY. 



LETTER XXIX. 



TO SAMUEL BARKER. 



Selborne, Sept. 2, 1778. 

 Dear Sam, 

 I AM much pleased to find that the University and your stu- 

 dies there give you so much satisfaction. There is no fear 

 that you will neglect this opportunity of improvement, or 

 spend your time amiss. I should rather wish that you were 

 cautioned to remember that it is possible for a young man to 

 apply too earnestly ; and therefore I hope you will intermix 

 daily exercise with y 1 ' studies. To the generality of young 

 men I am well aware that this caution would be needless ; but 

 to you, who, I know, apply yourself to all laudable pursuits 

 with all y 1 ' might, it might not be improper. 



Dr. Chandler the traveller has been with me a month, and 

 is just gone. He has furnished me with more curious matter 

 respecting the antiquities of this place, and in particular with 

 "Will, of Wyckham's Notahilis visitatio of this Priory. From 

 this long instrument, consisting of 36 injunctions and repri- 

 mands, it appears that this institution, which had then been 

 founded one century, had deviated much from its original 

 simplicity ; for they had become mighty hunters, and used to 

 attend junketings and feastings, had altered their mode of 

 dress, and used to let suspectce come into their cloisters after 

 it was dark, had suffered their buildings to dilapidate, had 

 pawned their plate, had administered the sacrament with 

 such nasty cups and such nasty sour wine that men abhorred 

 the sight {id sit hominibus horrori), had let down their num- 

 ber of brethren from 14 (the original number) to 11, had 

 suffered their friends and relations to hang on the convent 

 and eat it up, &c. They also were got into a method of lying 

 naked in bed without their breeches, for which they are 

 much reprimanded. Moreover I find that the Knights Tem- 



