NO PORTRAIT OF HIM 279 



It is greatly to be regretted that, though Thomas 

 White urged his brother to sit for his picture, no 

 portrait or sketch of any kind was ever made of him. 

 It is known, however, that he was five feet three 

 inches in stature, and slender in person. He is said 

 to have possessed a very upright carriage and a 

 presence not without dignity. If he resembled his 

 brothers, his features were regular, his complexion 

 fair, and his eyes brown. The expression of his 

 countenance was intelligent, kindly, and vivacious. 

 In default of any portrait we can only 



"look 

 Not on the picture, but the book," 



in which, indeed, its writer's thoughts and character 

 are clearly mirrored. 



The youngest of those who knew Gilbert White 

 has long been dead, and but little is on record of his 

 habits. But it is known that he was in every sense 

 of the word a gentleman ; kind and courteous in 

 manner, and liberal in pocket to his poorer neigh- 

 bours ; and he is still spoken of in Selborne as 

 having been especially devoted in his attention to 

 his sick parishioners. Perhaps his most prevailing 

 characteristic was caution — not, however, unmixed 

 with candour — which, indeed, is amply apparent 

 in some of the letters now printed for the first 

 time ; and shrewd practical common sense, which 

 does not always accompany studious habits, was not 

 wanting in his case. 



