186 



CORRESPONDENCE 



OF THE 



REV. R. CHURTON* AND GILBERT WHITE. 



LETTER I. 



TO THE REV. R. CHURTON. 



Selborne, Nov. 17, 1779. 



Dear Sir, 

 On opening your favour, I was much pleased to see your 

 name at the bottom; because you are a gentleman to whom I 

 am much oblioed, and to whom I wished for an occasion to 

 express my acknowledgements. 



You are a fellow of a college as well as myself, and there- 

 fore must be well aware that with regard to elections it is not 

 in my power to enter into any promises : but you may be well 

 assured that I shall have the better opinion of Mr. Smith for 



* [The Rev. Ralph Churton was born in the year 1754 at Bickley, a 

 township of the parish of Malpas, in Cheshire. He was educated at Ox- 

 ford, and became a fellow of Brazen-nose College. He was the author 

 of sermons, letters, and other works, and was highly esteemed by the 

 literary and religious society of his time. When his correspondence with 

 Gilbert White commenced, he could not have been more than about 24 

 or 25 years of age. — T. B.] 



