198 GILBERT WHITE AND OTHERS 



White who, it is evident, not unfrequently must have 

 administered a reproof to his correspondent, and that is 

 possibly a reason why his own letters have disappeared. 

 Yours very faithfully, 



Alfred Newton. 



Lord Stamford and Mr. Holt-White eventually 

 decided to pubUsh Mulso's letter^, and Newton's advice 

 was again sought as to what should or should not be 

 printed. 



When the book appeared in the following spring, it 

 gave Newton profound pleasure to find that the volume 

 was dedicated to himself, a compliment which he 

 acknowledged in the following letter. 



March 20, 1907. 



My deab Holt- White, 



I have just received the precious volume and 

 was congratulating myself on its neat and trim appear- 

 ance — ^thinking how easy it would be to convey the like 

 congratulations to you, when it opened of its own 

 accord immediately after the title-page, and the Dedica- 

 tion was in full view. This alters the case, and now my 

 duty is more than doubled. It is most kind of you and 

 your noble cousin to have thought of me in this con- 

 nection—yet if an almost unbounded reverence for the 

 character and especially the example of your great- 

 grand-uncle gives a man a claim to that distinction, 

 then your selection of me is justified — ^for I doubt whether 

 any one has ever entertained so strong a feeling towards 

 Gilbert White as I have from my very boyhood. 



Be assured that I consider this one of the prettiest 

 compliments that have ever been paid to me, and be- 

 lieve me with the sincerest thanks, 



Yours very truly, 



Alfred Newton. 



It may truly be said that Gilbert White was one of 

 the very last interests in Newton's life. Only a few days 



