OF SELBORNE. 
53^ 
much busied in painting white with his own hands the tops 
of the foot-path posts^ that his neighbours might not be in- 
jured by running against them in the dark. His whole 
mind seemed replete with experiment_, which of course gave 
a tincture, and turn to his conversation, often somewhat 
peculiar, but always interesting. He used to lament to my 
father, how tedious a task it was to convince men, that 
sweet air was better than foul, alluding to his ventilators ; 
and once told him, with some degree of emotion, that the 
first time he went on board a ship in harbour at Portsmouth^ 
the officers were rude to him ; and that he verily believed 
he should never have prevailed to have seen his ventilators 
in use in the Eoyal N'avy, had not Lord Sandwich, then First 
Lord of the Admiralty, abetted his pursuits in a liberal 
manner, and sent him down to the Commissioners of the 
dock with letters of recommendation. It should not be 
forgotten that oux friend, under the patronage of Sir Joseph 
Jekyll, was instrumental in procuring the Gin Act, and 
stopping that profusion of spirituous liquors which threat- 
ened to ruin the morals and constitutions of our common 
people at once.^ He used to say, that the hogs of distillers 
were more brutal than the hogs of other men; and that, 
when drunk, they used to bite pieces out of each other's 
backs and sides ! With due respects I remain. 
Your most humble servant, 
Gil. White. 
I did myself the honour of writing to you very lately 
about trees, and other matters. This winter continues wet 
and mild : wet springs are bad for Selborne. My crocuses 
make a fine show. 
* The name of Dr. Ste]>lien Hales, says his biographer, is to be re- 
membered with respect as an early advocate of Temperance, in the 
cause of which, as before stated, he indited numerous sermons and 
tracts. — Ed. 
