LILIES - RHS Lily Group

98
Gilbert White and his lilies
Jeff Coe writes about the life of the great eighteenth century naturalist
and the lilies that he grew in his garden at the Wakes in Hampshire.
T THE END OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY Britain fell in love with nature. Two
Abooks,
the History of British Birds written by Thomas Bewick, born in
Northumberland in 1753 and Gilbert White’s Natural History of Selborne, played
a large part in this and today Gilbert White is widely recognised as the first
English naturalist.
White’s book, first published in 1788, the year preceding the French Revolution,
has been in publication continuously until the present day. Some sources say
it is the fourth most published book in the English language. The book is a
scientific commentary full of observations and records much of which is recorded
in a series of letters between White and two naturalists Thomas Pennant, whom
White met for the first time in 1767, and Daines Barrington whom he first met in
1769. In 1770 Barrington had suggested White write a book and this encouraged
him to write the Natural History of Selborne. The book is not only of interest to
the modern day naturalist, social historians will also find much of the detail a
fascinating commentary on life in a small Hampshire village.
Two extracts from White’s book The Natural History of Selborne read: “The
village of Selborne, and large hamlet of Oak-hanger, with the single farms, and
many scattered houses along the verge of the forest, contain upwards of six
hundred and seventy inhabitants. 1 We abound with poor; many of whom are
sober and industrious, and live comfortably in good stone or brick cottages,
which are glazed, and have chambers above stairs: mud buildings we have
none. Besides the employment from husbandry the men work in hop gardens,
of which we have many; and fell and bark timber. In the spring and summer the
women weed the corn; and enjoy a second harvest in September by hop-picking.
Formerly, in the dead months they availed themselves greatly by spinning wool,
1 A state of the parish of Selborne, taken October 4, 1783.