allowed of his visit to Selborne being accomplished. Here the wearied spirit sought repose and found it, not in listlessness and inactivity, but in change of scene and of occupation; for never were his mind or his body more actively employed than during his sojourn in that secluded village. The autumn was unusually prolonged; the oak-covered hills and beechen hangers of the district still retained their foliage in all the varied hues of that changeful season; and the sudden transition from the strife and bustle of the town to the peaceful serenity of such scenes as those by which he was here surrounded, rendered him peculiarly alive to their beauties, and deeply impressed him with the infinite superiority of the glorious works of the Creator over the petty objects of the eager and incessant struggles of mankind.

His letters home were filled with glowing descriptions of the picturesque scenes and objects which every where met his eye; and his first impulse was to request, almost to require, of Mr. Harvey to join him at Selborne, there to delineate some of the more striking features of the district, with a view to their introduction into the new edition of the present work. Mr. Harvey promptly responded to the friendly call; and together they traversed the neighbourhood in all directions in search of curious or interesting objects, and reaped an ample harvest in return for their grateful toil. But it soon became evident that the materials which they had collected were far too extensive to be used as additions to the work in hand, and they determined on selecting from

among them such only as might fairly be appended to it, reserving the mass for a separate publication on "Selborne and its Vicinity," in the preparation of which they eagerly and enthusiastically joined. Landscapes of infinite variety and of surpassing loveliness, curious and extraordinary productions of nature, buildings of picturesque effect, and single objects of note or interest, were sketched by the one, and commented on by the other, until the portfolio was literally crammed, and the utmost limits of their time were reached.

Lured by the glowing descriptions which I received, in company with a friend whose initials will be found appended to many of the notes in the present volume, I visited them in their retreat; and for the brief space of three days joined them in their excursions, participated in their enthusiasm, and witnessed the delighted feelings with which they pursued their pleasing occupation. The manifest improvement in my brother's health and spirits made me happy in the feeling that I had contributed to persuade him, reluctant as he was at first to engage in it, to undertake a task which had led to so gratifying a result. But time wore on: bis return to London could no longer be delayed, and Selborne was quitted-not without a painful struggle. So strong a hold had it gained on his affections, that I felt persuaded, whenever he could tear himself away from the busy scenes of life, Selborne or its immediate neighbourhood would be chosen as the spot whereon to pass the remainder of his days.

His first care on his return was to prepare the

present volume for the press: that completed, it was his intention to have revised, corrected, and arranged his materials for the supplementary work above alluded to. But again drawn within the vortex of conflicting passions, and compelled by his official station to take an active part in proceedings repugnant to his peaceful disposition, his spirits flagged, and the completion of his purpose was delayed until the period to which he anxiously looked forward, when he could honourably and without self-reproach set himself free from the trammels in which he felt himself bound.

Before

that period arrived he sank under an illness, of short duration in itself, but of which the foundations had doubtless been long previously laid. His collections relating to "Selborne and its Vicinity" are now in my hands, and I trust, when other claims (claims of duty) have been fulfilled, that those of feeling may follow as they ought in next succession, and that I may be enabled to give those collections to the world in a form in some degree resembling that which he intended them to

assume.

In the present edition of the works of Gilbert White my brother's first object was to insure the purity of the text by a careful comparison throughout with the original editions. From these no deviation has been admitted, with the exception of some half dozen sentences which the scrupulous delicacy of a gentleman who has added much to the interest of the work had, in the last edition, converted into Greek, in which language, in deference to his particular request, they have been

retained in the present. The documents connected with the Priory of Selborne which formed the appendix to the "Antiquities," and which were omitted in the last edition, have now been replaced in the form of notes on the passages to which they severally refer, with the single exception of the "Visitatio Notabilis," a document of very great length, the partial abstract of which given by our author is now completed, the additions being included within brackets. A few other additions to the "Antiquities" have also been introduced in the text, and are distinguished in the same

manner.

No portion of the original text has been omitted, and all the additions to the "Observations" which have been made in the several editions have been retained. The present volume consequently contains the entire published works of Gilbert White, with the exception of some farther selections from his Journals, which have been lately given in the second series of Mr. Jesse's "Gleanings in Natural History." It is closed by a much more copious index than had previously been subjoined, founded on the basis of that appended to the original edition, but with very numerous additions.

Extensive additions have also been made to the illustrations. The views of local scenery introduced into the last edition have been carefully compared by Mr. Harvey with their originals in nature; and others have been added by him from sketches made during his visit. He has given numerous figures of quadrupeds, birds, insects, and other objects of interest, mentioned in the

text; and it should also be observed that Mr. Herbert has kindly communicated some additional sketches illustrative of the characters of the different species of willow-wren, to the distinctions of which he has paid so much attention.

Of the notes contained in the previous editions a few have been omitted as irrelevant or unnecessary. Those of Markwick and others on the "Observations," which had been formerly printed as part of the text, have been reduced to their proper station at the foot of the pages to which they refer. Many others have been added illustrative of the wide range of subjects treated of by the author; in most cases confirming, in some few correcting, the statements of the text, and accommodating it to the constantly progressive state of natural science, of which they occasionally take a more extended view. Of these a large proportion are from the pen of my brother, but not a few have been contributed by the kindness of his friends: to all of them the initials of the writers are attached. The Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert has again drawn largely on his stores of information connected with ornithology and other branches of natural history; and Messrs. Bell, Owen, Yarrell, and G. Daniell, (the friend to whom I have before alluded as accompanying me in my short visit to Selborne,) have by their numerous notes contributed to enhance the zoological interest of this edition. To each and all of these kind and estimable friends I can but offer in my brother's name the now melancholy tribute of his thanks.

Those thanks are also in an especial manner