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they found two lambs torn to pieces in the fold. What exquisite watchmen! I have now 226 full-grown sheep, besides 9 blind ones, and 101 lambs.
29th.—The shepherd has sent in word that if I buy a set of bells for him, he will stay with me. I have bought 20 sweet musical regularly tuned bells, with straps and buckles, at three shillings each. I have before mentioned the very pleasing tone of these bells; it is delightful to hear them on a fine evening. Had a dish of turnips to-day;—by the way, the last seeds you sent me were too old; those of mangel wurzel, parsnip, carrot, cabbage, and onion, failed altogether; the lucerne alone is growing; the flower seeds do not show yet.
31st.—To my surprise, Mr. Whitfield brought me letters and papers this day. You say "there are so many that they will take me a month to digest!" you little know my powers of digestion in that way. I am a most insatiable glutton in such respects. It was dinner time to-day when I received them. I have already gormandised every syllable of all your letters, aye and washed them down with the whole contents of four newspapers which came along with them; "my great revenge had stomach for them all." Thanks, thanks to Almighty God for the measure of health and mercy vouchsafed to you all, and may they be graciously continued! My people have been spelling hard at their letters, and at some of the papers; this part of the business devolves on Johnny, but there is generally a complaint that he cannot "make it out right," and an appeal to me.
By the way, my own letters are an odd medley; I hope that no stranger[1] sees them. *****
- ↑ How astonished Mr. Moore will be when he sees them so unceremoniously brought into print, and hears that they have been read, and, as I trust will be the case, by hundreds, or perhaps thousands of strangers.—Editor.
