L62 CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS FAMILY. 



(written, he supposes, on purpose to ridicule tortoises) may 

 well be applyed to him 



" He lias raised up his head 

 As awaked from the dead, 

 And amazed he stares around." 



There was, as I remember, one Abdon a judge of Israel, of 

 whom there is nothing memorial, but that he had 40 sons and 

 30 nephews. As a father this chieftain, I must acknowledge, 

 exceeded me much : but as to the matter of nepotism, I go 

 much beyond him ; for I had 42 neps. and nieces before, and 

 now Mrs. Brown's little daughter makes the 43 rd ; and I have 

 more at hand, if I do not reckon my chickens before they are 

 hatched. Nep. John of Alton, now Dr. White, has met with 

 an ugly accident : as he was descending from his hayloft, the 

 ladder turned and gave him a bad fall on the stones ; by 

 which he bruised his side and dislocated his left wrist : but he 

 was not confined one day, and is getting well. This young 

 man has found employ and much riding about ; but he must 

 have time to approve himself before he can expect much 

 prime business *. On March 26 th Mrs. and Miss Etty left us 

 for some weeks : and on the 30 th by permission came Mr. 

 Taylor our vicar and his bride Miss Lisle of Moyle's Court 

 near Eingwood, Hants. This lady is of a very good family in 

 this county, and niece to Mr. Lisle of Crookes-easton — the 

 gent, who stood and carried the grand contested election for 

 this county in 1733 ; but it cost him £10000. The lady was 

 desirous of spending part of her honeymoon at her husband's 

 parish. Charles Etty is expected home in June. Nep. Edm d f , 

 for which I highly commend him, is parting with all kinds of 

 farming whatsoever : he lets all his tithes, and all his glebe ; 

 reserving only to himself 3 or 4 fields for his horses and cows. 

 He will now know what he has to depend on, whereas both 

 his late uncles were much imposed on, and were subject to 

 all the rabble and hurry of common renters. Ed. I trust, 

 some time hence will make an excellent neighbour, but has 



* [He afterwards removed to Salisbury, and became surgeon to the 

 Infirmary. — T. B.] 

 t [Vicar of Newton Valence.— T. B.] 



