56 
NATURE NOTES. 
That sweep the skirt of some far-spreading wood 
Of ancient growth, make music not unlike 
The dash of ocean on his winding shore, 
And lull the spirit, while they fill the mind ; 
Unnumbered branches waving in the blast 
And all their leaves fast fluttering, all at once.” 
But this is an amplification of Virgil’s sign of coming storm — “ nemorum 
increbescere murmur” : Georgic, i., 359. 
Mr. Martin ought to have no difficulty about the word “ zig-zag.” It looks 
like a Dutch introduction into English landscape-gardening, and quite akin to the 
many mazes and labyrinths that came into England at the early part of the 
l6th century. Probably “ picnicers,” page 205, is a misprint for “ picnickers.” 
One blemish may be found in the book ; its tone is adulatory, and the late Lord 
Selborne used to say that no more humble man ever lived than “our great patriarch.” 
On the other hand there is an odd sentence on page 27, partially e.xplained 
in the context. “ There are many passages in his book which are never quoted, 
since were they they would undoubtedly destroy the conception of the character 
which hitherto we have been led to associate with Gilbert White.” Character 
for what ? If for morality, his life was as transparently good and true as that of 
Isaac Walton and George Herbert, of Sir Henry Wotton and Evelyn. The 
context seems to explain that the failure to be found in some of White’s writing is 
a want of manliness, but his precision — for instance, marking the appearance of 
gnats and the boys playing cricket near the Plestor— is simply fun, though some 
readers are too obtuse and straight-laced to understand it. 
At page 226 a passing mention is made of the copy of Hudson’s Flora 
Anglica which was Gilbert White’s own copy, in which he has written his 
name. This historical book, which is perfectly genuine, is in the writer’s posses- 
sion, and much valued as having belonged to the great naturalist who w'as a landlord 
of Darting land to his death, and who, as Bell says, lived at Darting till he was 
thirteen years old. This deserves more notice than .Mr. Martin has bestowed 
upon it. Mr. Britten gave a full account of it in his Journal of Botany for 1893, 
and the abstract of this printed in N.vruRE Notes for that year (pp. 210, 211) 
should have been referred to. In this White has marked 439 plants which he had 
observed at Selborne. 
It is unfortunate that the pleasant book, containing, as it does, three beautiful 
illustrations — The Plestor (1813); the Church, with its noble yew, which an 
Oxford professor likened to “Abraham’s tree at Mamre ” ; and White’s house 
{1813) — has no notice whatever of Gilbert White as from top to toe almost as 
much a Sussex man as one of the great Hampshires. His father and mother 
were married at Rogate Church, Sussex ; one brother was born at Darting ; and 
so on. Sussex will not like to be robbed of its birthright. 
Still Mr. Martin must be thanked for having done excellent service. It is 
to be hoped that in future times his excellent idea may be repeated, and that 
every testimony to the great father of modern natural history may be brought 
together. 
Harting. H. D. Goroon. 
A Justifiable Complaint.— The Earl of Malmesbury has again given 
notice that, unless means can be devised for making visitors conform to his rules, 
his rhododendron woods at Heron Court, near Bournemouth, will this year be 
closed to the public, insteail of being thrown open during the summer months as 
hitherto. Lord Malmesbury points out that his only rules are that smoking is 
prohibited on .account of the danger of fire, and dogs are not allowed. In spite 
of every warning, however, he adds, visitors have set his servants at defiance, 
picked the rhododendrons, and lighted fires in the woods, which narrowly escaped 
total destruction. Having done all he could to make the woods pleasant to 
visitors, by kee])ing the walks in order, &c. , and being debarreii from using the 
woods for himself or family, in consequence of the crowd there during the summer 
season, he thinks it rather hard that the public should have taken no notice of his 
repeated caution. — Standard, Jan. 31. 
