1788 SELBORNE DAMES' SCHOOLS 175 



"Selborne is not able to maintain a schoolmaster; here 

 are only two or three dames, who pick up a small pittance 

 by teaching little children to read knit and sew." 



The present writer happens to possess some of 

 the receipts given to Gilbert White by these 

 Selborne dames, when he paid them for their ser- 

 vices out of his grandfather's bequest for that 

 purpose. Usually the form of receipt was written 

 by him ; when this was not the case the spelling 

 and handwriting of the ladies leave a good deal to 

 be desired. 



The return concludes with an account of the 

 charitable institutions of the parish. It was 



"Given in to the Lord Bishop of Winchester, by Gil. 

 White, Curate of Selborne, March 25th, 1788." 



To Samuel Barker, Seleburne, Jan. 8, 1788. 



Dear Sir, — It is to be hoped that you are not so punctual 

 a man as to register all the letters that you write to your 

 friends; because the distant date of your last epistle to 

 me would reproach me with neglect and negligence towards 

 one of my near relations. I have been very busy of late ; 

 and have at length put my last hand to my Nat[ural] 

 Hist[ory] and Antiquities of this parish. However I am 

 still employed in making an Index; an occupation full as 

 entertaining as that of darning of stockings, though by no 

 means so advantageous to society. My work will be well 

 got up, with a good type, and on good paper ; and will be 

 embellished with several engravings. It has been in the 

 press some time; and is to come out in the spring. It 

 pleases me much to find that you still pursue your botany. 

 I had reason to suspect that your noble neighbour had a 



