160 
Herts, whose top was the largest i ever saw : some arms extended 
full 60 feet from the trunk, which was 19. feet 7 In. round : i could 
not omit this in y 9 paper on y e increase of Trees in y e Ph. Trans. 
1759. We have only the Oak with the long stalk to the acorn, & 
the leaf without stalk. I thought the Oaks in Sussex, & many 
other Counties more pleasing trees than in Norfolk ; hut i did not 
observe the leaves. I remember near Ucfield, in the road from 
London to Herstmonceux, an Oak with yellow leaves ; which struck 
me as very curious, & my good friend Naylor got me some of the 
acorns, but none grew. I presume you have noticed this Oak, as 
i have heard of another with leaves as yellow as the Elm in autumn. 
In answer to your last Article, i was a young fellow in 1733 
when many Counties were inflamed with contested Elections (when 
S r S. Stuart lost his Election by 2 in your County) & engaged 
warmly in that new amusement : & drank & smoked for the 
Cause, although i relished neither. But old age that blunts the 
edge of all passions, & my seeing according to Pope “ how 
“like, Whig Ministers to Tory,” has cooled my party zeal : & i feel 
myself satisfied with giving my vote for a friend, without enquiring 
about his party. So if you had asked me my party, i can hardly 
tell you. But i will add, that i love the King, & the Constitution, 
& am disliked by both parties. 
Two articles of your letter vex me, viz that your infirmities 
deprive me of the pleasure of seeing you in Norfolk ; the other, 
that in naming me, you have struck out the word friend , & put 
correspondent. I should have been proud, to be called f riend by 
the Author of the Hist, of Selborne : for i am with great esteem, 
dear Sir, your most humble 
& obliged servant 
R : Marsham 
P.S. Although last Winter & the fore-part of Spring, wero 
(i think) the mildest that i remember (except the Earthquake year 
1750) yet I find many articles of Spring later than in several 
colder Seasons. I find snow on y° 5 th of May. Wo have had 
some drying E. wind, but hardly to be called hot. The begining 
of June 2 or 3 days the air was thick, in small dogree like what 
you noticed in 1783. Letter 64. On the last of June i found my 
