AND THE REV. R. CHURTON. 199 



anecdotes. Mr. Etty has heard twice from his son at the 

 Cape of Good Hope ; his ship was burnt in the Indian seas, 

 from which he had a miraculous escape, and was carried naked 

 aboard another ship in company ; he lost every thing. Molly 

 White's rhimes were Norwegian. If you see any lines in 

 Gent. Mag. on such soft weather as I have languished for in 

 vain the spring thro', treat them with what lenity you may. 



Mrs. J. White joins in respects. If you hear nothing 

 curious at the K. S. or Antiq. meetings, at least you will see 

 two grand rooms and many respectable people, besides Somer- 

 set House, a national building as big as three or four colleges ! 



I am, with due respect, 



Your most obedient servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER X. 



FROM MR. CHURTON TO GILBERT WHITE. 



Brazen-Nose, Jan. 22, 1786. 



Dear Sir, 

 Epic poets, with the approbation of Horace, " in medias ru- 

 unt res;" but a letter-writer, a much humbler being, com- 

 monly begins at one end, though it may happen to be the 

 wrong end. Let me inform you then, first of all, that on 

 Monday last I got to College safe and well, and found my 

 portmanteau in my room waiting my arrival. Of some parts 

 of my travels since I left Selborne you may possibly have 

 heard from your neighbours. This, however, you probably will 

 not have heard; and I know it will give you pleasure to hear, 

 that I found Mr. Loveday, excepting some slight remains of 

 a cough, very well, his hearing better than usual, and his 

 memory, in spite of all that he says, just as good as it has ever 

 been since I have had the happiness of his acquaintance. 

 Mrs. Loveday was confined, in consequence, I believe, of her 

 great attention to Mr. L. in his late illness. The rest of the 

 familv were well. Dr. and Mrs. Loveday returned to Wil- 



