G. W.
26 June,
1793
On a tablet, formerly on the outside of the wall, but now in the chancel, is the following inscription:—
In the fifth grave from this wall are buried the remains of
The Rev. GILBERT WHITE, m.a.,
fifty years fellow of oriel college, in oxford,
and historian of this his native parish.
he was eldest son of john white, esquire, barrister-at-law,
and anne, his wife, only child of
thomas holt, rector of streatham, in surrey,
which said john white was the only son of gilbert white,
formerly vicar of this parish.
he was kind and beneficent to his relations,
benevolent to the poor,
and deservedly respected by all his friends and neighbours.
he was born july 18th, 1720, o.s.,
and died june 26th, 1793
nec bono quicquam mali evenire potest,
nec vivo, nec mortuo.
The irregular, old-fashioned, and charming house in which White lived, is now the property of an eminent naturalist, Professor Thomas Bell. This gentleman, in the year 1877, published a very complete edition of the book, but an expensive one. In a second volume, Mr. Bell gives a great number of letters written by White to his relatives and friends, a sermon of his, and an account book in which are entered in his neat and plain handwriting all his petty expenses. The facsimile of his handwriting there given shows that he was not accustomed to hurry himself.
