OF SELBORNE. 557 



shall be allowed to die such. The reason you having so 

 many bad neighbours is your nearness to a great, factious 

 manufacturing town. Our common people are more simple- 

 minded and know nothing of Jacobin clubs. 



I admire your fortitude and resolution, and wonder that 

 you have the spirit to engage in new woods and plantations. 

 Our winter, as yet, has been mild and open, and favourable 

 to your pursuits. Pray present my respects to your lady, 

 and desire her to accept of my best wishes, and all the compli- 

 ments of the season, jointly with yourself. I have now 

 squirrels in my outlet ; but if the wicked boys should hear 

 of them, they will worry them to death. There is too strong 

 a propensity in human nature towards persecuting and de- 

 stroying ! 



I remain, with much esteem, yours, &c., 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER X. 



TO ROBERT MARSHAM, ESQUIRE. 



SJELBORNE, June 15, 1793. 



ROM my long silence you will conclude that 

 procrastination has been at work, and perhaps 

 not without reason. But that is not all the 

 cause, for I have been annoyed this spring 

 with a bad nervous cough, and a wandering 

 gout, that have pulled me down very much, and rendered 

 me very languid and indolent. 



As you love trees and to hear about trees, you will not be 

 displeased when you are told that your old friend the great 

 oak in the Holt forest is at this very instant under particular 

 circumstances. For a brother of mine, a man of virtu, who 

 rents Lord StawelFs beautiful seat near the Holt, called 

 Moreland, is at this very juncture employing a draughtsman, 



