198 CORRESPONDENCE OF GILBERT WHITE 



But when high noon invites to short repast, 

 Beneath the shade of shelf ring thorn they sit, 

 Divide the simple meal, and drain the cask : 

 The swinging cradle lulls the whimp'ring babe 

 Meantime ; while growling round, if at the tread 

 Of hasty passenger alarm'd, as of their store 

 Protective, stalks the cur with bristling back, 

 To guard the scanty scrip and russet garb. 



LETTER IX. 



TO THE SAME. 



South Lambeth, Mar. 30, 1784. 

 Dear Sir, 

 I take it very kind that you should remember me, when pro- 

 bably I owed you a letter all the while. As I propose to re- 

 turn to Selborne on Friday next, and to set out for Oxford on 

 Easter Tuesday, it does not seem very probable that we shall 

 meet. If you are in London on a Thursday, I would advise 

 you by all means to attend on the R. S. and Antiquary-meet- 

 ings in their new splendid rooms at Somerset-house. Dr. 

 Chandler can probably put you in a method of being intro- 

 duced ; if you do not see him, attend in the outer room, be- 

 tween the two rooms, at a quarter before seven in the evening, 

 and enquire for Dr. Lort, who, I trust, on your using my 

 name, will introduce you to both the meetings, where perhaps 

 you may hear somewhat worth your trouble. The Antiq. 

 Society, I find, is growing very fashionable ; for I observed 

 that many Right Honourables were balloted for on Thursday 

 se'nnight. The weather has been dismal and winter-like ever 

 since I left home ; however, I have great advantages in these 

 parts, having a bed at command both in town and country 

 and a carriage to take me to town. Tho. Davis, the book- 

 seller, has just published his memoirs on plays and players, a 

 pleasant book. He has a good stile, and language that no 

 man need be ashamed of, and abounds in curious and pleasant 



