Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/20

xiv now converse intelligibly in any other language than that of the celebrated Swede. And impartiality compels us to say, that we are disappointed in not finding a particular account of the tillage of the district where Selborne is situate. A person with this writer's patient observation would have made many remarks highly valuable. Men of intelligence, like him, are wanted to promote an intimacy between the library and the plough. The man of books sees many errors which he supposes he could correct; while the practical cultivator laughs at the essays of the theorist. Much the greater part of renting farmers are prevented, by their anxiety to wind the bottom round the year, from engaging in experiments; and many think it nearly criminal to deviate from the practice of their forefathers; so that, at this day, it remains for gentlemen of property and enlarged minds to determine whether it is best to sow three bushels of wheat, or one, on an acre of land. In other words, whether there be not as much corn yearly wasted by superfluous, perhaps injurious, seeding, as would furnish an annual and ample supply for the largest city. Though agriculture has of late been attended to, still he would be one of the greatest benefactors to his countrymen in general, who would convince them that the richest mine of national wealth lies within six inches of the surface, and who would teach them the most advantageous method of working it.

"On the whole, we will pronounce that the inquirers into natural knowledge will find Mr. White to be no unequal successor of Ray and Derham; and that the History of the Priory is a curious tract of local antiquity. We should not hesitate to speak so favourably of this work even though it had much less rural anecdote and literary allusion to recommend it."

A translation of his book was published at Berlin in 1792. In June, 1793, White died. His body lies in the fifth grave to the north of the chancel wall, and on the headstone is—