THE "MOLLY LETTERS 195 



state of man. For the rest, there is really nothing to 

 remark upon. It appears to be as good as good can be. 

 The Shakespearean quotation is very happy, and alto- 

 gether it is what Gr.W. and his contemporaries would 

 have called an " elegant piece." But I must not omit 

 expressing to you my thanks for so kindly and fully 

 acknowledging such services as I have been able to render 

 to you, services which I must say it has given me very 

 great pleasure to afford if only in regard to the debt 

 I incurred through your valuable assistance, when I was 

 writing the article for the " Dictionary of National 

 Biography." 



It was not only on matters of Natural History that 

 his advice was sought, but on questions also of the 

 publication or otherwise of more personal letters : 



Now I come to the ' Molly ' letters, about the 

 advisability of printing which you asked my opinion. 

 I have read them attentively and am come to the con- 

 clusion that, owing to my bias, my opinion on the 

 subject is worth nothing ! I do so dread the notion 

 that many persons, not at all adverse critics, might 

 think that one could have too much even of Gilbert 

 White ! I think before printing them in extenso you 

 ought to consult some one else, who would be a fairer 

 judge than myself. I am afraid people would resent 

 the solicitude with which the writer regularly orders 

 codfish and desires his brother to draw the interest of 

 the Long Annuities ! Yet in most of the letters there 

 is a playful tone, which to me is highly diverting and 

 agreeable. Extracts might certainly be printed without 

 any doubt, but the making of them would require very 

 careful selection, and that by a competent man. I 

 wish I knew one to recommend, but I must plainly say 

 that I don't. If you should find a competent judge to 

 say " print the whole," I should be only too glad, but 

 it is what I dare not trust myself to say because I 

 know myself to be such a strong partizan whiter than 

 the whitest of Whitists. I can't put it more concisely. 



