114 GILBEKT WHITE OF SELBOKNE 1734 



west end of Cornwall agreed well with him, never went to 

 Lisbon at all; but has spent several months at and near 

 Penzance, where the kingdom is but eight miles broad. 

 Amidst this world of waters the sea air has been of great 

 service to him, and has restored his flesh : but he is not 

 quite free from complaints. 



There have been vast snows in Cornwall, and at Totnes, 

 Devon, whence he wrote, the cold has been intense ; he says 

 at 60. Y"^ loving friend, 



G. White. 

 Lay the verses by 'til I come.* 



I have just received your letter by Mrs. Yalden ; but not 



the tea and stockings by Mr. Clement. 



The following letter seems to shov^ that Gilbert 

 White, when in town, used to attend the meetings 

 of the Royal and Antiquaries' Societies. There is 

 indeed a family tradition of his shyness on being 

 introduced at these receptions. In a letter to her 

 brother, written on March 22nd (probably 1784), 

 Miss White tells her brother, ''My uncle went to the 

 Antiquaries' and Eoyal Societies last Thursday with 

 Dr. Lort. Mr. Barker's account of the weather was 

 read." 



To the Bev. B. ChuHon. 



South Lambeth, Mar. 30, 1784. 



Dear Sir, — I take it very kind that you should remember 

 me, when probably I owed you a letter all the while. As 

 I propose to return to Selborne on Friday next, and to set 

 out for Oxford on Easter Tuesday, it does not seem very 

 probable that we shall meet. If you are in London on 



* Those on the * Dark, Still Weather,' etc. 



