346 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



Letter 227. 



Eeverend Mr White, Winchester, 



Selboumenear Alton, Hants. + at Alton. Jan. 5, 1789. 



Dear Gil : 



Tho' Letters of Condoleance are very ineffectual, yet 

 cannot I bear to pass unnoticed the sad event of which you 

 inform'd me in your last.* I am struck with it, as one of the 

 wonderfuU Decrees of Providence, that a Person on whom so 

 many other Creatures depended for Provision, Comforts, and 

 Education, should be so hastily struck out of the Book of Life. 

 But it is a Decree of Providence, and No One can better tell 

 than Yourself the Duty of Submission. 



I hope the Circumstances proceeding from this Loss, will 

 not force You to cross the Country in this very severe & dan- 

 gerous weather. As your poor Brother had young Eelations, as 

 well as" children in whom he could confide, I hope they can 

 spare You Trouble on this Occasion. Your's is the most happy 

 family that I know in being able to give mutual Help on these 

 necessary Calls. I heard the other Day with great Pleasure 

 that Mrs J. White's Son is much admired in his way & gets into 

 great Business. 



Mr Lowth & Dr Sturges (both able Men) admire your Book, 

 particularly ye natural Hystory, which not only seems well 

 founded, but has an Originality in the Management of it that 

 is very pleasing. I see that You avoid naming Names, yet when 

 You are mentioning Sunbury, & a friend that You visited there,! 

 I a little repine that my Name did not stand in a Book of so 

 jnuch Credit & Eespectability ; and I am ready to say with Tully, 

 Orna me. 



The Death of the Speaker has made a new Embarassment 

 in public Transactions. Dr Sturges was sent for express, & we 

 hear that he has £500 left him as Executor, & after Mrs 

 Cornwall's Death £5,000, to him & his family. 



Mrs Williams, who slowly recovers from her great Shock, 

 has had an additional One by her Mother's falling in her Way 

 to Chapell on Sunday, dislocating her Shoulder, & breaking her 

 arm in two places. 



I have been much confined of late, tho' I preach'd at ye 

 Cathedrall on Sunday ; for we are much reduced in Number ; 

 but today is too cold ; by stirring out of the Door I felt an 

 immediate pain on my Chest. 



• The sudden death of Gilbert White's youngest brother Henry, Rector of 

 Pyfield. 



t Cf. The *' Selborne," Letter xii. to Pennant. 



