1758 EETAINS HIS FELLOWSHIP 101 



Selbourne. ... I hope your brother Thomas recovers apace, 

 and that your Fire Side is well. I pray God not to take 

 away, but to increase your Friends and your means." 



Mr. Bell seems to have seen a letter from the 

 Provost to Gilbert White, since he remarks^ — 



"A letter from Dr. Musgrave, then Provost of Oriel, 

 to Gilbert White, dated Dec. 24, 1758, clearly intimates 

 that some representations had been made to him that 

 Gilbert White 'had succeeded on his father's death to a 

 very large estate,' and that on this account his retention 

 of his fellowship, and consequently, his presentation to 

 the College living, were inconsistent with his present 

 position. The Provost, however, declines in the most 

 positive manner to listen to these misrepresentations, for 

 such they undoubtedly were, and probably made from in- 

 terested motives." 



This letter from the Provost would seem to have 

 been written in reply to one from Gilbert White, 

 in which he had explained his real circumstances, 

 and to have expressed Dr. Musgrave's acceptance of 

 his statement that the report of his wealth was 

 unfounded. Writing on February 4th, 1759, Mulso 

 says : — 



"I met the Provost in St. James' Park lately, and just 

 cursorily asked him what he intended to do with you, and he 

 said it was in your own breast to keep or leave your fellow- 

 ship, for nobody meant to turn you out if you did not choose 

 it yourself ; so I suppose that affair is settled." 



* Fw^e Bell's edition of "The Natural History and Antiquities of Sel- 

 borne," vol. 1. p. xxxviii. 



