Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/627

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WHITE 608 igan. In 1862 he resigned on account of ill health, and was elected to the New York state eenate from Syracuse, and reflected in 1864. In 1866 he became president of Cornell univer- sity, the establishment of which he had greatly promoted, and in 1868 visited Europe to exam- ine the organization and management of the leading schools of agriculture and technology, and to purchase books and apparatus. From his own resources he has contributed upward of $100,000 to the equipment of the institution. Besides being president, he is professor of modern history. In 1871 he was one of the government commissioners sent to Santo Do- mingo to study the question of annexing that country. He has published "A Syllabus of Modern History," " The Warfare of Science " (New York, 1876), and many addresses and pamphlets, including "A Word from the North- west " (London, 1862), in response to strictures in the American "Diary " of Dr. W. H. Kussell. WHITE, Gilbert, an English naturalist, born at Selborne, Hampshire, July 18, 1720, died in Oxford, June 26, 1793. He was educated at Oxford, and was made senior proctor of the uni- versity in 1752. At an early period of his life he retired to his native village, where he de- voted himself to natural history. His "Natu- ral History of Selborne" (4to, 1789; last ed., with notes by Frank Buckland, London, 1875) is one of the English classics. After his death was published " A Naturalist's Calendar, with Observations in various Branches of Natural History," edited from his papers by Dr. Aikin (1795). A complete edition of his works was published by W. Markwick (2 vols. 8vo, 1802), and in 1876 ten of his unpublished letters were edited by J. E. Harting. WHITE, Henry Rirke, an English poet, born in Nottingham, March 21, 1785, died in Cam- bridge, Oct. 19, 1806. He was the son of a butcher, and assisted his father until his 14th year, but learned French and began to write verses. He was apprenticed to a stocking weaver, but after a year was placed in an at- torney's office, and besides the study of law applied himself to the Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese languages, to some of the sciences, to drawing, and to playing the piano. He began to write for magazines in his 15th year, obtained several prizes, and published "Clifton Grove and other Poems" (1803). Becoming converted from religious in- difference to earnest Christian faith, he sought a university education for the purpose of enter- ing the ministry. In 1804 he obtained a sizar- ship at St. John's college, Cambridge, where for two years he was at the head of his class. He was then appointed a tutor in mathematics ; but he had destroyed his health by too much study, and after a visit to London he returned to the college to die of consumption. A tablet to his memory, with a medallion by Chantrey, was placed in All Saints' church, Cambridge, by Francis Boott, an American. Eobert South- ey published " The Eemains of Henry Kirke White, with an Account of his Life " (2 vols. 1807; supplementary volume, 1822). WHITE, Joseph Blanco, an English author, born in Seville, Spain, July 11, 1775, died in Liver- pool, May 20, 1841. His grandfather, an Irish- man, settled in Seville, became a successful merchant, and was ennobled ; his father married a wealthy lady of rank. Blanco at the age of 12 was sent to college to be educated for the Roman Catholic priesthood. He was ordained a priest in 1799, but soon conceived a dislike for the profession, and in 1810 went to Eng- land, where he passed the remainder of his life. He conducted in London a Spanish peri- odical, entitled El Espailol, from 1810 to 1814, when he received from the English govern- ment a life pension of 250. He then joined the church of England, and his religious opin- ions subsequently passed through various phases. He conducted from 1822 to 1825 a Spanish quarterly entitled Las Variedadet, edited the "London Review" during its exis- tence of six months (1829), and published " Let- ters from Spain" (1822); "Practical and In- ternal Evidence against Catholicism " (1825) ; " The Poor Man's Preservative against Pope- ry" (1825); and "Second Travels of an Irish Gentleman in Search of a Religion " (2 vols., 1833), in answer to the work of Moore. His most celebrated production is a sonnet entitled "Night." His autobiography was edited by J. H. Thorn (3 vols., London, 1845). WHITE, Peregrine, the first child born in New England of English parents, born on board the Mayflower, in the harbor of Cape Cod, about Dec. 10 (0. S.), 1620, died in Marshfield, July 20, 1704. He was the son of William and Su- sannah White, and received on account of his birth 200 acres of land from the general court. He filled various civil and military offices. WHITE, Richard Grant, an American author, born in New York, May 22, 1822. He gradu- ated at the university of New York in 1839, studied medicine and law, was admitted to the bar, and became a writer for the "Courier and Enquirer " newspaper and for other jour- nals. He has published "A Biographical and Critical Hand Book of Christian Art " (1858) ; "Shakespeare's Scholar" (1854); a variorum edition of Shakespeare, with a memoir and a critical essay (12 vols., 1857-'62); "Essay upon the Authorship of the Three Parts of Henry VI." (1859); "National Hymns," an essay embodying hymns written for a prize of $600 offered by a national committee (1861) ; " The New Gospel of Peace, according to St. Benjamin," a political satire, published anon- ymously (in four books, 1863-'6); "Memoirs of the Life of William Shakespeare, with an Essay toward the Expression of his Genius " (8vo, 1865); and "Words and their Uses" (1870 ; revised ed., 1872). He has edited " The Book Hunter" (1863), and "Poetry of the Civil War" (1866), and is the author of the " Yankee " letters in the London " Spectator " from 1863 to 1867.