6 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1777 



Dick* is with me; he is good-natured, and some what 

 heady at times. It is well he is intended for trade, since he 

 loves anything better than book : bodily labor he does not 

 spare; for rolling, wheeling, water-drawing, grass-walk- 

 sweeping are his delight. I have taught him to ride ; and 

 perhaps a good seat on an horse may be more useful to him 

 than Virgil, or Horace. I tryed Phsedrus ; but my patience 

 failed. However he may procure health and strength, and a 

 little behaviour at my house. 



We all join in respects. My brother's outlet is still 

 pleasing. y^^ affect., 



Gil. White. 



Early in the year 1777 Gilbert White visited his 

 brother Thomas in London, whence he wrote — 



To the Bev. John White. 



Thames street, Feb. 27 [1777]. 



Dear Brother, — Many thanks for your letter of the 18th 

 and for your extract from Reaumur. We all much approve 

 of what you intend to inscribe to the Archbishop, thinking 

 it neat and polite : but like yourself we do not much like 

 your title-page. Brother Ben. says he thinks that 'Hist. 

 nat. observations in Lat. 36 ' should all be left out ; and 

 that it should begin with 'An Essay,' &c., but it is not worth 

 while to be solicitous about a title-page : Swift says, " for 

 a title-page consult your bookseller." But the term ' Fauna 

 Calpensis,' tho' judged to be too quaint and pedantic for 

 the beginning of a title, yet, I think, must by no means 

 be sunk for the following reason, because I believe you have 

 always told Linnaeus that you should call your book by that 

 name; and therefore if he mentions your work in his last 

 edition (as he certainly will) you will lose all the credit 



* His nephew Richard, son of Benjamin White, now aged 15. 



