WHITE 



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WHITE 



In legend and tradition white is the emblem 

 of purity. In war a white flag is used when a 

 parley is desired, and is called a flag of truce; 

 it means "stop firing." A white flag is also 

 raised over a fortress or on a ship as the sym- 

 bol of surrender. 



WHITE, ANDREW DICKSON (1832-1918), an 

 American diplomatist and educator, born at 

 Homer, N. Y. He studied at Yale University 

 and in Paris and Berlin, apd in 1854 was ap- 

 pointed an attache of the American legation at 

 Saint Petersburg (Petrograd). Returning to 

 the United States in 1857, he became professor 

 of history and English literature at the Uni- 

 versity of Michigan, but resigned that position 

 years later to enter the New York Senate. 

 He did much to encourage Ezra Cornell in his 

 ambition, and can be called, with him, one of 

 the founders of Cornell University. In 1867 

 White became its first president. The credit 

 for the successful organization of the institution 

 belongs in large measure to him, and he do- 

 nated to it about $100,000 and his splendid 

 historical library of over 40,000 volumes. He 

 resigned the presidency and the professorship 

 of history in 1885. 



Meanwhile, he had taken an active part in 

 public affairs. In 1871 he had been United 

 States commissioner to Santo Domingo, in 

 1879 had gone to Germany as the American 

 minister, and from 189 to 1894 he served as 

 minister to Russia. President Cleveland ap- 

 pointed him, in 1896, a member of the com- 

 mission to investigate the Venezuelan bound- 

 ary question, and in 1897 he was sent to 

 Germany as ambassador, the post having risen 

 in rank and dignity since his first German ap- 

 pointment. That position he held until 1902, 

 longer than any previous American representa- 

 tive, meanwhile sen-ing, in 1899, as chairman of 

 the American delegation to the Hague Peace 

 Conference. Many honors were conferred upon 

 him at home and abroad, and he was a member 

 of a number of scientific societies. Doctor 

 White has written much; his published works 

 include Outlines of Lectures on History, Bat- 

 tit fields of Science, The New Germany, Democ- 

 racy and Education, Paper Money Inflation in 

 France and an Autobiography. 



WHITE, EDWARD DOUGLASS (1845- ), an 

 American jurist, Chief Justice of the Supreme 

 Court of the United States, succeeding Mel- 

 ville W. Fuller, of Illinois. He was born in tin- 

 parish of I. it'ouri-hr. La., and was educated in 

 Catholic schools, including Georgetown Uni- 

 versity. His education was interrupted by tin 



outbreak of the War of Secession, throughout 

 which he served in the Confederate army. He 

 was admitted to the bar in 1868, became a 

 member of the senate of Louisiana in 1874, and 

 in 1878 was made associate justice of the state 

 supreme court. In 1891 he was elected to the 

 United States Senate as a Democrat, sen-ing 

 until 1894, when he was appointed by Presi- 

 dent Cleveland Associate Justice of the Federal 

 Supreme Court. President Taft advanced him 

 to the position of Chief Justice in December, 

 1910. The chief cases over which Justice White 

 has presided are the income tax cases and the 

 Northern Securities case, and in these, as in 

 others, he has won credit for the carefulness 

 and the independence of his opinions. 



WHITE, GILBERT (1720-1793), an English 

 naturalist, famous as the author of the Natural 

 History of Selbornc, which since its publication 

 in 1789 has retained its popularity. This his- 

 tory is an account of White's close observation 

 and intimate association with nature during his 

 quiet, scholarly life in the beautiful rural town 

 of Selborne, in Hampshire, where he was born. 



White was educated at Oriel College, Ox- 

 ford, of which he was elected a fellow and later 

 dean. After serving as curate in a neighboring 

 village, he accepted the parish in his native 

 town, which he held until his death. Besides 

 his devotion to nature, White was an enthusias- 

 tic student of antiquity, and has left many 

 interesting letters on the ancient life of Sel- 

 borne. 



WHITE, RICHARD GRANT (1821-1885), an 

 American Shakespearean scholar and critic, was 

 born in New York. He studied law, but aban- 

 doned his legal career after a short time to 

 devote himself to literature. He acquired fame 

 as one of the most celebrated Shakespearean 

 scholars; his Riverside Edition of Shakespeare 

 achieved great popularity. White's other works 

 include Studies in Shak< */)! r . England With- 

 nnd Within. Words and Their Uses and 

 Everyday English. 



The following is from a poem written by 

 Paul Hamilton Hayne in memory of White, 

 after the latter's death : 



Well were hlH nature and his tolls a 



Largo both and literal! 'tis n.. m.tv.l then. 



He walked In such security of ease 



Through Shakespeare's world of monarch* and 



great men, 

 A kingly realm ho loved und magnified. 



WHITE, STEWART EDWARD (1873- ), an 

 American writer, the author of many novels 

 1 nving as their background tin In'.- m tin- him- 



