VI A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF 



father residing at Compton, in Surrey. Gilbert "White's 

 father was the grandson of Sir Sampson "White (knighted 

 by Charles the Second, on his coronation), to whose 

 memory a handsome monument is placed in St. Mary's 

 Church, Oxford. 



In the year 1731, his father came to Selborne to reside, 

 when Gilbert White was eleven years of age. His father, 

 John "White, was the only son of Gilbert "White, vicar of 

 Selborne, and married Anne, only child of the Rev. Thomas 

 Holt, rector of Streatham, in Surrey. Mr. John "White 

 was a barrister of the Middle Temple, but did not practise 

 after his marriage. Gilbert, and three of his brothers, 

 Thomas, John, and Henry, all much interested in the study of 

 Natural History, were probably indebted to their father for 

 their early lessons in their favourite pursuits. The brick- 

 path at the back of the house, in the paddock, at Selborne, 

 was laid down by him upwards of a century since, that in 

 his old age he might be able to walk into his field in the 

 early morning without wetting his feet. It remains to this 

 day; the bricks having been double-burned especially for 

 this purpose. He desired in his will that no monument 

 should be erected to him, " not desiring to have his name 

 recorded, save in the book of life." 



Every thing relating to the family of Gilbert "White must 

 be interesting. His father was born in 1688, and died in. 

 1759. And of his brothers, one of them, Thomas, was a 

 Fellow of the Royal Society. To him, Gilbert was indebted 

 for very many suggestions for his work ; and to his influ- 

 ence the public owe whatever pleasure they may have 

 derived from its perusal, as it was only with much per- 

 suasion that the philosopher of Selborne could be induced 

 to pass through the ordeal of criticism, having a great dread 

 of reviewers. 



This dread was in some degree removed by his brother 



