THE GILBERT WHITE CENTENARY. 151 
thinking that that august body was some benefit club, they erected their circus 
in the hope of turning an honest penny by affording us simple amusements. 
The arrangements for the luncheon were admirable, and it is no small thing to 
provide for more than 200 people so far from any base of supplies. The Earl of 
Selborne presided, and he was supported by the Earl of Stamford, Mr. Darwin, 
-Mr. Otter, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Whitaker, Dr. Dudley Wilmot Buxton, and the Rev. 
II. D. Gordon. The celebration was honoured, too, with the presence of several 
members of the White family, including iSIr. Rashleigh Holt White, and the Rev. 
G. White, Archdeacon of (Queensland. The Earl of Northbrook and Sir John 
Lubbock were, unfortunately, unable to be present. 
The Earl of Selborne, in proposing the memory of Gilbert W’hite, gave a 
most interesting and suggestive appreciation of White’s character and work. He 
pointed out that it was White’s very modesty and simplicity of character which 
prevented the world from knowing much about him. The strongest note of 
White’s character, however, was his love of God’s creatures, especially for birds, 
and in that he reminded one of Melampus, the Greek, who learnt to understand 
he languages of the birds, and of St. Erancis of Assisi, whom tradition asserts to 
have preached sermons to feathered congregations. Family letters, recently 
discovered, had let in a good deal of light upon White’s private life and habits ; 
and there was on record the testimonjj of Mr. Edward White, a nephew of the 
naturalist, to his uncle’s humane manner of addressing his poor neighbours, which 
always assured them that they had in him a true friend. Further, it appeared 
that W’hite’s life was not one of the absolute leisure which many people supposed, 
but that it was passed in the diligent fulfilment of the duties of his holy office. 
Lord Selborne then quoted very aptly from “ My Garden Acquaintance,” the 
first essay in My Study Windoius, wherein Lowell speaks so tenderly and 
eloquently of White’s book, and gives it the happy title of “The Journal of 
Adam in Paradise.” Lord Selborne also read some charming verses on White’s 
grave which were written for his daughter by Lowell when he was stopping at 
Wolmer. It is greatly to be regretted that these verses are not published. 
Speaking finally of the suggested memorials to White, Lord Selborne urged that 
the best memorial was the book. White could surely say with Horace, Exe£t 
momunentinn are perenuius. ” 
Mr. Darwin, in proposing success to the Selborne Society and its branches, 
pointed out how gratifying the growth of the Society has been, since it now 
numbered 3,000 members all over England. He further dwelt on the very high 
ideal which the Society set itself — the preservation of the beauties and amenities 
of the country not only for the gratification of the present generation, but for the 
gratification and enlightenment of future generations. 
Mr. Otter, in responding, referred to the dangers that were to be feared from 
the ambitious collector without a conscience, whose only aim was to stock his 
collection with rare and valuable specimens, careless of the destruction he might 
cause. A proper and ever present restraint should be exercised by collectors, so 
as to preserve instead of exterminating rare species. 
The Earl OF Stamford next proposed “Prosperity to the Hampshire P'ield 
Club.” He expressed the hope that the Selborne Society might become the centre 
of communication for the field-clubs throughout the country. As a connexion of the 
White family he had busied himself lately with collecting reminiscences of Gilbert 
White, and with diving into hitherto unexplored documents. Some of the results 
of his research threw a good deal of light on the character of Gilbert White. 
One old woman had thus described White : — “ He used to walk about the lanes 
tap-tapping with his cane, and stopping every now and then to brush the dust from 
his shoes.” This neatness of White he illustrated in another story relating to 
White as a Proctor at Oxford. Having caught an undergraduate lying in the 
gutter overcome with liquor. White called the offender before him next day and 
admonished him, adding, “ Young man, I see there is some hope for you, for I 
observed that your clothes were neatly folded up and laid by your side.” 
Another story told how White was dining at a farm-house, and how the housewife 
sprinkled his dish of bacon and cabbage with sugar — a proceeding which White 
protested against. The only answer to his remonstrance was, “ Nothing can be 
too good for you, sir.” I.ord Stamford referred to the portraits of White, of 
which he has already written in Nature Notes, and concluded by saying that 
