INTRODUCTION. jn/ 



G. W. 



26 June, 



1793- 



On s. tablet, formerly on the outside of the wall, but now in 

 the chancel, is the following inscription : 



IN THE FIFTH GRAVE FROM THIS WALL ARE BURIED THE REMAINS OF 



THE REV. GILBERT WHITE, M.A., 



FIFTY YEARS FELLOW OF ORIEL COLLEGE, IN OXFORD, 



AND HISTORIAN OF THIS HIS NATIVE PARISH. 

 HE WAS ELDEST SON OF JOHN WHITE, ESQUIRE, BARRISTF.R-AT-LAW, 



AND ANNE, HIS WIFE, ONLY CHILD OF 



THOMAS HOLT, RECTOR OF STREATHAM, IN SURREY, 



WHICH SAID JOHN WHITE WAS THE ONLY SON OF GILBERT WHITE, 



FORMERLY VICAR OF THIS PARISH. 

 HE WAS KIND AND BENEFICENT TO HIS RELATIONS, 



BENEVOLENT TO THE POOR, 



AND DESERVEDLY RESPECTED BY ALL HIS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS. 

 HE WAS BORN ' TT LY l8TH, 1/20, O. S., 



AND DIED JUNE 26TH, 1793- 



NEC BONO QUICQUAM MALI EVENIRE POTEST, 

 NEC VIVO, NEC MORTUO. 



The irregular, old-fashioned, and charming house in which 

 White lived, is now the property of an eminent naturalist, Pro- 

 fessor Thomas Bell. This gentleman, in the year 1877, published 

 a very complete edition of the book, but an expensive one. In a 

 second volume, Mr. Bell gives a great number of letters written 

 by White to his relatives and friends, a sermon of his, and an 

 account book in which are entered in his neat and plain hand- 

 writing all his petty expenses. The facsimile of his handwriting 

 there given shows that he vas not accustomed to hurry himselt. 



