1777 VIEW OF THE HEEMITAGE 21 



of yours, and from the many happy and useful hours that 

 I have spent there. 



"I thank you for the piece of Mr. Grimm, but surely I 

 was never more disappointed. I declare that had the picture 

 come through any hands but a White's, which might have 

 directed me, I should not have guessed at the place. A 

 print in general does ill with perspective; but in this, 

 neither the Hill itself, or the neighbouring country are in 

 character. I hope I do not mortify you to say so : and I 

 hope better things of your other views." 



The view in question was clearly a proof of the 

 vignette of tlie Hermitage. Perhaps the severe 

 opinion was partly justified, but it is not easy to 

 do justice to a scene on an eminence ; as it were, 

 hanging in the air. 



That Gilbert White was now fairly embarked in 

 his 'Antiquities of Selborne' appears from a long 

 letter, dated December 15th, 1777, about Selborne 

 Priory, to Mr. John Loveday, of Caversham, M.A. 

 of Magdalen College, Oxford, and the following : — 



To Thomas White. 

 [With a list of documents from Dr. Chandler concerning 

 The Priory of Selborne]. 



30 Deer. [1777]. 



Dear Brother, — You see D' Ch.[andler] has been wonder- 

 fully kind and obliging to take so much pains in transcribing 

 from the index such articles as he thought most interesting 

 with respect to the priory &c. of Selburn. From the index^ 

 I say; for it doth not yet appear that he has at all con- 

 sulted the original papers, which are reposited in the Tower 

 [of Magd: Coll:] under several keys. I have made appli- 

 cation to the President by means of a friend for leave, if 



