GILBERT WHITE. Eminent, rising above others. Confute, to convince of error. Geology, the science of the earth's crust. Naturalist, a student of nature. Museum, a collection of objects for educational purposes. Persecuted, punished for no fault. Quadruped, an animal of four legs. Grotesque, strange; whimsical. Having reviewed the lives of a few eminent men whose pursuits lay in the direction of material progress, it may be well now to turn to some who have pursued those other branches of science, which, although they may have less of material reward to offer, are yet in themselves their own exceeding great reward. We refer to the several departments of natural history,—zoology, botany, geology, with the sciences depending upon, or closely allied with them. Not that these studies of Nature present no opportunities for aiding our national industry. So far from this, it is by such studies that we have become acquainted with some of the most valuable articles of commerce, with new sources of food, and with the conditions under which the mineral wealth of a country can be obtained and used. It is one great advantage attaching to the study of the various departments of natural history that it can be pursued at little or no money cost; for the objects of the naturalist's inquiries are around us everywhere. The earth and the air teem with life in all forms and conditions. The surface of the land and the bed of the ocean are covered with plants as varied as are the animal forms. Let us see how a country parson, with no extra F ordinary advantages, made acquaintance with the brute creation, as it is often called, about him, and how the profit and loss account stood with him. Gilbert White was born at Selborne, a quiet out-of-theway spot in Hampshire, in 1720. His early education was received under the Rev. Thomas Warton, the father of the well-known poet. He afterwards studied at Oxford, where he became a fellow of Oriel College. Being very fond both of literature and natural history, he retired to his native village, where he spent the rest of his life. The facts learned by this quiet and observing naturalist are given in his well written and highly interesting book, "The Natural History of Selborne;" a work which has done more to create a love for the study of the familiar forms of animal life than any other in the language. Himself an enthusiast in his chosen pursuit, the reader unconsciously catches his spirit, and willy-nilly becomes a close and interested observer too. Little more is known of White beyond the fact that he closed his course in his native village in 1793, when seventy-three years of age, leaving behind him sixtythree nephews and nieces, as well as a numerous retinue of retainers in the shape of four-footed beasts of the earth, creeping things, and feathered fowl, to mourn the loss of their fond and indulgent companion. We will now let the observer speak for himself. In a letter to his friend and fellow-naturalist, Mr. Tennant, dated August 4th, 1767, he says, "Mr. Stillingfleet makes a question whether the black-cap be a bird of passage or not. I think there is no doubt of it; for, in April, in the first fine weather, they come trooping all at once into these parts, but are never seen in the winter. They are delicate songsters. "Numbers of snipes breed every summer in some moory ground on the verge of this parish. It is very amusing to see the cock bird on wing at that time, and to hear his piping and humming notes. "As to the falco, I shall take the liberty to send it down to you into Wales; presuming on your candour, that you will excuse me if it should appear as familiar to you as it is strange to me. It haunted a marshy piece of ground in quest of wild ducks and snipes; but, when it was shot, had just knocked down a rook, which it was tearing in pieces. I cannot make it answer to any of our English hawks, neither could I find any like it at the curious exhibition of stuffed birds in Spring Gardens. I found it nailed up at the end of a barn, which is the countryman's museum. The parish I live in is a very abrupt, uneven country, full of hills and woods, and therefore full of birds." And, again, under date Sept. 9th, of the same year, we find him writing:-"The most unusual birds I ever observed in these parts were a pair of hoopoes, which came several years ago in the summer, and frequented an ornamented piece of ground, which joins to my garden, for some weeks. They used to march about in a stately manner, feeding in the walks, many times in the day, and seemed disposed to breed in my outlet; but were frightened and persecuted by idle boys, who would never let them be at rest. "I was much entertained last summer with a tame bat, which would take flies out of a person's hand. If you gave it anything to eat, it brought its wings round before the mouth, hovering and hiding its head in the manner of birds of prey when they feed. The adroitness it showed in shearing off the wings of the flies, which were always rejected, was worthy of observation, and pleased me much. Insects seemed to be most acceptable, though it did not refuse raw flesh when offered; so that the notion that bats go down chimneys and gnaw men's bacon, seems no improbable story. While I amused myself with this wonderful quadruped, I saw it several times confute the vulgar opinion that bats, when down on a flat surface, cannot get on the wing again, by rising with great ease from the floor. It ran, I observed, with more dispatch than I was aware of, but in a most ridiculous and grotesque manner." "TO THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON. "SELBORNE, Jan. 15th, 1770. "For many months I carried a list in my pocket of the birds that were to be remarked, and as I rode or walked about my business, I noted each day the continuance or omission of each bird's song; so that I am as sure of the certainty of my facts as a man can be." "April 12th, 1770. "I heard many birds of several species sing last year after midsummer; enough to prove that the summer solstice is not the period that puts a stop to the music of the woods. The yellow-hammer, no doubt, persists with more steadiness than any other; but the wood-lark, the wren, the red-breast, the swallow, the white-throat, the goldfinch, the common linnet, are all undoubted instances of the truth of what I advanced." EXERCISES.-I. Define,-Reviewed, department, allied, advantages, observer, frequented, rejected, and ridiculous. 2. Name all the birds you are familiar with, putting them into two classes,— (a) those that remain throughout the year; (b) those that stay only a portion of the year. 3. Describe fully the structure and habits of the bird you know best. In the last history lesson we told you how the AngloSaxons, or earliest English, were governed: at first by a number of petty kings, reigning each over his own kingdom; and afterwards by Bretwaldas, some of whom retained their superiority and merged into kings, governing the whole English people. Seeing that this period may be considered as the birth-time of our nation, it will be well to enter a little more into details about some of these features. We must bear in mind that even in these early times our country was a commonwealth: that is, the oneness of interest of all classes and grades of free subjects was recognised. To ordain new laws, to impose taxes, or to transact affairs important to the whole kingdom, the king called together a great council, which was called the Witenagemote, or meeting of wise men. There the grey-bearded warrior, the close shaven abbot, the titled earl, and the thane, who tilled and ruled over many broad acres, discussed everything relating to the laws, the imposing of taxes, the defence of the land, and even the royal succession. The three orders, or classes, in the state were |