28 LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER 



Britain, a work that has employed his thoughts more than 

 twenty years ; 2 vols. 4to, £2 2s. As far as I have seen, I 

 think his style is not so good as in his ' Present State of 

 Europe.' The new work seems to comprise a variety of 

 knowledge. 



Some time ago I put Hume's History of England into 

 Jack's hands. The young man is much taken with the work, 

 and reads it with great earnestness and in preference to the 

 ' Spectator ' and Fathers, and makes pertinent remarks. With 

 respects to my sister we remain 



Yours affect. 



GIL. WHITE. 



LETTER XIII. 



Selborne, April 29, 1774. 

 Dear Brother, 

 Out of all my journals I think I might collect matter enough, 

 and such a series of incidents as might pretty well com- 

 prehend the natural history of this district, especially as to the 

 ornithological part ; and I have moreover half a century of 

 letters on the same subject, most of them very long; all which 

 together (were they thought worthy to be seen) might make 

 up a moderate volume. To these might be added some 

 circumstances of the country, its most curious plants, its few 

 antiquities, all which together might soon be moulded into a 

 work, had I resolution and spirits enough to set about it. 



As to your own work, your journal incidents will be the 

 most entertaining part of it. Skinner was much pleased with 

 them. You should moreover, I think, have some letters, or 

 dissertations, for the unsystematic part of your readers, who 

 will not so well relish a fauna alone. The comparative 

 account of the climates (where they will admit) would, I 

 think, be very engaging. You have by you an abundance of 

 your own letters. I should have told you before that I have 

 finished my monography on the British Hirundines. If you 



