PREFACE. 



Xlll 



well to reproduce here the " few Biographical Records " 

 which have been handed down to us by his nephew John ; 

 at the same time it may be desirable to add some little 

 account of the eminent naturalists as well those to whom 

 his letters were addressed, as those who have furnished a 

 worthy supplement to his work in the " Observations " and 

 " Calendar." 



m 



BACK VIEW OF THE RESIDENCE, AT SELBORNE, OF 

 THE REV. GILBERT WHITE. 



" GILBERT WHITE was the eldest son of John White, of 

 Selborne, Esq., and of Anne the daughter of Thomas Holt, 

 rector of Streatham in Surrey. He was born at Selborne 

 on July 18, 1720 ; and received his school-education at 

 Basingstoke, under the Rev. Thomas Warton, vicar of that 

 place, and father of those two distinguished literary cha- 

 racters, Dr. Joseph Warton, master of Winchester School ; 

 and Mr. Thomas Warton, poetry-professor at Oxford. He 

 was admitted at Oriel College, Oxford, in December, 

 1739, and took his degree of bachelor of arts in June, 

 1743. In March, 1744, he was elected fellow of his 

 college. He became master of arts in October, 1746, and 

 was admitted one of the senior proctors of the University 

 in April, 1752. Being of an unambitious temper, and 



