36 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBOENE 1779 



On July 22nd, 1779, Mulso writes :— 



" You will be very happy in the company of your brother 

 Thomas and his daughter. I am not delighted at present, 

 though I know not what I may be, at your labours about 

 the history of Selbourne. I fear the sweet and elegant 

 simplicity of your observations will be overwhelmed by 

 the rubbish of the antiquities of your native place. / shall 

 be pleased from the partiality I have for the place for 

 your sake. The Provost of Worcester,* and some of your 

 antiquarian friends will like it for the studiousness of the 

 researches; but I doubt whether the book will be the 

 better for it in the eye of the world." 



Then he goes on to an observation, which now, so 



long after the fame of Selborne and its historian 



has become established, seems a singularly prophetic 



one : — 



" It may save some future biographers trouble, who may 

 think it necessary to celebrate the place, where such a 

 genius was born. ... I saw Mr. Wyndham lately : he told 

 me that he had hopes to have seen you, while Grimm was 

 with him; and that he had been surprized and delighted 

 with the grandeur of Selbourne Hangers." 



On September 27th, 1779, Mulso writes again : — 



"I called on Mr. BuUer at Alresford, and he told me of 

 your having in your option the living that you had long 

 had in your eye. We wondered whether you would resolve 

 upon taking it or no. I own I should think you very 

 wrong if you did not. You will be money out of pocket 

 for a year or two, but you will be repaid hereafter. The 

 situation and the distance are both of them strong tempta- 

 tions and really good circumstances. The farmers cannot 



* Dr. Sheffield, a friend and correspondent of Gilbert White. 



