266 LETTBBS TO GILBERT WHITE 



Letter 169. 

 Eeverend Mr White, Meonstoke. 



at Selbourne near Alton, Hants. July 16, 1776. 



Dear Gil : 



I am very happy when I can make my Friends sensible 

 of that real Tenderness that I feel for them. And if You in 

 particular are pleased that my old, (but, alass, ineffectual) Friend- 

 ship endeavours at Times to give Instances of it's faithfull 

 continuance, You give new Vigour to it, & satisfy me in a 

 very tender Point. But when You want me to make the Addition 

 by coming to You this Month, You ask what is not in my Power 

 to comply with. While You are enjoying Yourself, like an Italian 

 Magnifico, with your Designer at your Elbow, I am waiting for 

 an Artist in his way, that may be perhaps as profitable, but is 

 not half so agreeable to my Taste, I mean a Surveyor ; to whose 

 Operations I must attend, yet of whose Skill I may not in the 

 End be able to avail Myself as I ought; so little do I enter 

 into his Designs, as I should into those of Mr Grimm. You may 

 imagine that You whet my Curiosity by telling me what a 

 Pleasure I might partake from his Pencil, & ye Liberality of 

 his Manner: and it would be no small part of my Satisfaction 

 to see my old Friend taking such voluptuous Rides upon his 

 Hobby- Horse. No Man communicates the Pleasures of his 

 Excursions, or makes the world partake of them in a more 

 UsefuU Manner, than You do. It is the 



Solemne viris opus, utile famae, 

 Vitaeque & membris. — 



Your work, upon the whole, will immortalize your Place of 

 Abode as well as Yourself ; it will correct Men's Principles ; & 

 give Health to those who chuse to visit the Scenes of Mr 

 Grimm's Pencil, in their Original. I have a good Opinion of 

 the Correctness of Mr Grimm's Fancy, by what He judges of 

 my Brother M. His Drawing is like his writing : it is from 

 a warm Imagination & fine Feelings ; his Strokes are delicate 

 enough upon Occasion, but there is not the Hand of a com- 

 pleat Master; there is a Stiffness of Expression, & a religious 

 Formality. 



I have seen Something of what You mean of Mr Grimm's 

 Tinges, in some little Things of Taylor & others at the Ex- 

 hibitions in Town ; it is exceedingly pleasing ; & could You have 

 it transcribed into your Prints, would wonderfully improve the 

 Force of the Drawing ; I think I have seen such a Thing 

 attempted. I long to be at your Side ; but I cannot : Yet by 

 ye Time that the first Insanity is over, & You begin to speak 

 slower & in a milder Voice, I hope to talk wth You here or 

 at Selbourne. 



