GILBERT WHITE. 15 



from February 10, 1775, when the last book ended January 

 28, 1775 ; when I was seized with a fit of the gout." 



The following interesting entry records Gilbert White's dining 

 with him. " Sunday, December 6th, very fine ; Selbome, G. 

 dined here." " Sunday, March 25th, Chiff-chaff, curlew." Mr. 

 Maclachlan also showed me a very ancient register of 29th 

 Henry VIII. He also pointed out to me, by means of an old 

 Army List of March 15th, 1786, who the Honourable Daines 

 Barrington was. Under the heading Gibraltar 1 are the following 

 entries : " Governor-General G. Augustus Elliot, K.B.," (after- 

 wards made Lord Heathfield, for defending Gibraltar, 1787). 

 " Honourable Daines Barrington, Com. of the Stores, &c., 

 547 10s. salary." From Mr. Maclachlan I learnt that the 

 late Bishop Wilberforce had been a frequent visitor at Newton 

 Valence. The grounds of the parsonage adjoin the down, or 

 sheepwalk, which Gilbert White, Letter I., describes as " a 

 pleasing park-like spot, of about one mile by half that space, 

 jutting out on the verge of the hill-country," &c. Immediately 

 in front, with only a valley between, and entirely included 

 within the parish of Newton Valence, rises Nore hill to quote 

 White again, " a noble chalk promontory, remarkable for sending 

 two streams into two different seas." From the top of that hill, 

 the Bishop was wont to say, he could discern the observatory 

 which he had erected on the crest of the down, above Lavingtoii 

 House. The Bishop, as is well known, was an intense admirer 

 of beautiful scenery, and no mean naturalist as shown by the 

 volume of essays from the Quarterly Review, republished since his 

 death, and by the beautiful collection of Sussex birds, which h<; 

 had for the most part made himself, and which forms one of the 

 adornments of Lavington House. It will be remembered how 

 touchiugly, at the inquest upon the Bishop's honoured remains, 

 Lord Granville related the points of their last conversation 

 especially the Bishop's animation while observing the scenery 

 through which they passed on that beautiful July afternoon, and 

 while drawing notice to the adaptation of the trees and shrubs 

 to their several soils. 



I have heard that just a moment before the Bishop fell from 

 his horse he said to Lord Granville, " Hark ! do you hear that 

 nightingale singing so beautifully ? " 



In the belfry of the church of Newton Valence there is a 

 beautiful tablet with the following inscription : 



1 It is a remarkable coincidence that Gilbert White's brother should have 

 been military chaplain at Gibraltar. Gibraltar is mentioned several times 

 by White. 



