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drawings. In November 1780, writing to Samuel Barker, be 
says : “ Were it not for want of a good amanuensis I tbink I 
should make more progress ; but much writing and trans- 
scribing always hurts me.” And on January 8, 1788, we find 
him writing to the same correspondent : “I have been very 
busy of late and have at length put my last hand to my Nat. 
Hist.” However, the book itself did not appear until 
December of that year (the date on title-page being 1789). 
It was at once a success and brought Gilbert White into 
correspondence with some of the leading scientific men of 
the day, including George Montagu (1752-1815), and Robert 
Marsham, F.R.S. (1708-97). 
To the Natural History of Selborne , against the wish of his 
friend and constant correspondent, J. Mulso (Letter 189, p. 294, 
Mulso’s Letters to Gilbert White), 1 Gilbert White added the Anti- 
quities, in which he was much helped by Dr. Richard Chandler 
(1738-1810), the Greek traveller and antiquary, and also re- 
ceived valuable assistance from Ralph Churton (1754-1831). 
Gilbert White died after a short but severe illness on 
June 26, 1793, having caught cold while officiating at the 
funeral of a parishioner on June 10, the last entry in the 
Selborne Parish Register signed by him being as follows : 
“ Mary Busbey, aged 16, of this parish, was buried June 10, 
1793. Registered June 10 by me, Gil. White, Curate.” 
For long no portrait of Gilbert White was known to exist, 
and although it has been asserted that the figure ascending 
the hill in the large folding plate of the first edition of the 
Natural History is intended to represent him, we must accept 
the authority of Bell to the contrary. The persons repre- 
sented in the plate are : (1) The Rev. Richard Yalden, Vicar 
of Newton ; (2) Mrs. Yalden ; (3) Mr. Etty, brother of the 
Vicar of Selborne ; (4) Mr. Thomas White, Gilbert’s brother 
(cf. Bell, vol. i. and vol. ii. p. 130). Quite recently a 
possibly authentic portrait in oils of Gilbert White has, 
however, turned up, having been bought in the North 
London Cattle Market for a few shillings and resold to a 
1 Edited by Rashleigh Holt-White. 1 vol. 8vo. London : n.d. [1906]. 
