1750 



THE ARBOUR ON THE HILL 59 



He wants to have it. The Bishop loves you. ... I hope 

 the spring will invite out a little of your Poetry, you know 

 what Heck said, that she would not have you always trans- 

 late and imitate, but give your own Invention scope, and 

 I hope you observe what she says." 



A little later, in May, speaking of an excursion 

 of his sister s into Kent, the same correspondent 

 mentions that the Kentish road affords fine scenery, 

 " as I believe you have experienced," and remarks 

 that his sister said her " second day was according 

 to Mr. White's taste a cool, brown day ; but as she 

 is as much given to Agues as you are to Fevers, she 

 invok'd the blessed sun to come and warm her, with 

 as much earnestness as you creep into the shades, or 

 shelter in the ' nidus Acherontiae,' by which name I 

 think you have christened your arbour on the Hill." 



Possessors of either of the quarto editions of Gilbert 

 White's book will see in the large north-east view of 

 Selborne this " arbour," or one which subsequently 

 superseded it, called the " Hermitage," near the 

 zigzag path (not yet made however) up the Hanger. 

 The other little summer-house shown in the large 

 north-east view of Selborne, together with the slop- 

 ing path, or " Bostal," near which it stood, was not 

 constructed for many years after the time now 

 treated of The latter was called by Gilbert White 

 *'the new Hermitage.'"^ 



* These two little buildings have of course long perished, but the plat- 

 forms dug out of the chalk hill, on which they stood, are plainly to be seen. 

 From the bostal, a little below where the later Hermitage stood, a small, but 

 still perfectly-defined zigzag path leads down to a wicket-gate opening into 

 the little park behind "The Wakes." 



