in the parsonage-house; but this was a temporary arrangement, and in April 1762 he, doubtless by virtue of seniority as a fellow of his college, to which the right of nomination fell, exercised his claim to the proctorship of the university of Oxford. About the same time he was also appointed dean of Oriel, the most important post in the college next to the provostship, which shows that the alleged dissatisfaction of some of its members at his claiming the proctorship was not deeply grounded. On quitting his offices he undertook the curacy of Durley, near Bishop's Waltham, at which place he resided for a year, and while there, according to Bell, who has printed the accounts (ii. 316-46), the actual expenses of the duty exceeded the receipts by nearly 20l. (ib. vol. i. p. xxxv). Mulso's letters about this time express the surprise with which he and others of White's friends regarded his acceptance of this charge, though admitting 'it was your [i.e. G. W.'s] sentiment that a clergyman should not be idle and unemployed.'
This sentiment, to which he adhered for the whole of his life, by no means interfered, however, with his rambling habits, which he continued to indulge, though for the next few years precise information as to the places he visited—a stay of some weeks at 'the hot wells near Bristol' excepted—is not forthcoming. Whenever he went to Mulso, who at this time had a small cure at Sunbury, he was expected to preach a sermon, and the same demand was probably made at other places. At this time nearly all his journeys seem to have been performed on horseback, and several passages in Mulso's letters show that he took care to be well mounted.
On 2 Feb. 1754 White was at Harting in Sussex, where his mother had some property, and was apparently staying with Dr. Durnford the vicar. Durnford's wife was sister to William Collins [q. v.], the poet. Mr. Gordon (History of Harting, p. 208) suggests that the visit was to inquire after that unhappy man, with whom White in his undergraduate days had been intimately acquainted. It seems very doubtful whether Collins had been moved to Chichester so early in the year. But White was for many years after frequently with his sister (Mrs. Woods) at Chilgrove, and at Chichester—usually on his way to and from his aunt's at Ringmer. In a letter written by 'White many years later to the 'Gentleman's Magazine' (1781, pp. 11, 12), the authorship of which is vouched for by Mr. Moy Thomas in the memoir prefixed to his edition of the poet's works (pp. xxx, xxxi) and confirmed by Bell (vol. i. p. lviii),he states that he had not seen Collins since he was carried to a madhouse at Oxford, and declares his ignorance of when or where Collins died.
That White had many good friends in his college there can be no doubt. In February 1755 Mulso wrote to him, 'Young Mr. Shaw of Cheshunt would yesterday have persuaded me that Dr. Hodges [provost of Oriel] was dead, and you was going to be provost in his room;' and two months later, 'You give me pleasure hearing of the stand against the perverse party at Oriel; I would' the provost should live until you succeed him (if that is English; it sounds rather Irish).' On 14 Jan. 1757 Dr. Hodges died, and thirteen days later there was a college meeting, attended by White, for the election of his successor. Chardin, fourth son of Sir Christopher Musgrave of Edenhall, was chosen; but it is evident that White had some strong supporters. Mulso, writing shortly after, says: 'As you have not been the man on this occasion, I am not sorry for Chardin's success'—they had been old friends and again, a month later, 'With regard to the affair at Oriel, I heartily wish you had put yourself up from the beginning, if anything that we could have done would have given you success.' A few months later the living of Moreton-Pinkney in Northamptonshire, which was in the gift of Oriel, fell vacant, and White, as fellow, did not hesitate to assert his right to it. It was a small vicarage, and had long been held by a non-resident incumbent. In accordance with the custom of the age, White thought that the practice hitherto prevailing need not be set aside. Musgrave, the new provost, was of a different opinion, and recorded in his memorandum book (which by favour of Dr. Shadwell is here quoted) under date of 15 Dec. 1757—'Morton Pinkney given to Mr. White as senr. petitioner, tho without his intentions of serving it, and not choosing to wave his claim tho' Mr. Land wd. have accepted it upon the other more agreeable terms to the society. I agreed to this to avoid any possibility of a misconstruction of partiality' this last sentence evidently (from what we now know) referring to the recent contest for the provostship, when White and Musgrave were competitors. The provost, from a proper sense of duty we may consider, nearly a year later (1 Nov. 1758) made another entry in the same book, that he 'hinted to Mr. White's friends that I was ignorant what his circumstance really was, but suppose his estate incompatible [with the terms of his fellowship] and beg'd he might be inform'd that if a year of grace was not applied [for]
