has been known to overturn hives for the sake of 

 honey, of which he was passionately fond. Where 

 metheglin was making he would linger round the 

 tubs and vessels, begging a draught of what he 

 called bee-wine. As he ran about he used to make a 

 humming noise with his lips, resembling the buzzing 

 of bees. This lad was lean and sallow, and of a 

 cadaverous complexion ; and, except in his favourite 

 pursuit, in which he was wonderfully adroit, dis- 

 covered no manner of understanding. Had his ca- 

 pacity been better, and directed to the same object, 

 he had perhaps abated much of our wonder at the 

 feats of a more modern exhibiter of bees ; and we 

 may justly say of him now, — 



" — — — — — — — — Thou, 



Had thy presiding star propitious shone, 

 Shouldst Wildman be — — — — ." 



When a tall youth he was removed from hence 

 to a distant village, where he died, as I understand, 

 before he arrived at manhood. 



Selborne, Dec. 12, 1775. 



LETTER LXX. 

 To THE Honourable Daines Barrington. 



It is the hardest thing in the world to shake off 



superstitious prejudices ; they are sucked in, as it 



62 



