Gilbert White’s House and Garden in Selborne is an emporium of delights.
I was there for the opening of an art exhibition which continues till 17th August – a shameless plug, as the artist, Sophie Hacker, is my wife!
Alongside the artworks, a quotation from White’s writings over the fireplace stood out: “If the writer should have induced any of his readers to pay a more ready attention to the wonders of the Creation; or if he should through his research have lent an helping hand towards the enlargement of the boundaries of knowledge; his purpose will be fully answered.”
The humble ambition of these words has been amply fulfilled since written in 1788, not least in the impression made on Charles Darwin by White’s careful observations of earthworms.
Paying more ready attention to the wonders of creation is within the grasp of us all and it shouldn’t take David Attenborough’s rapt tones to jolt us into awareness.
Let’s admit, though, that it’s a challenge. The quality of attention we habitually give to scrolling through phones and supermarket shelves, both stock-full of distractions, does not encourage us to ‘watch narrowly’, as Gilbert White recommended, till things begin to reveal themselves to us.
The idea that creation is a book to be read is an ancient one: ‘the heavens declare the glory of God’, says a psalm written at least three thousand years ago. But creation does not demand our attention; we must immerse ourselves in what is, and what is waiting to give voice, and then open ourselves to it, to appreciate it. Whether basking on a beach or standing before a sunset, to begin to benefit from the glories surrounding us, we need to linger, to connect with our natural environment.
Waiting and watching is the first level of attention, but the next level is bringing our creativity to bear. For Gilbert White this meant journalling, interpreting the pattern and meaning of what he was seeing.
One of the most popular forms of art in Sophie’s exhibition are the monoprints, where ink has been gently rolled onto an object, like a feather or a leaf, and then pressed onto handmade paper. It’s a simple process which reveals the hidden structure, the symmetry and elegance of a natural object.
You see: not only has the leaf or feather been noticed; it has been taken up tenderly and treated creatively till its quiet glory has been given voice.
There is no-one who is not creative; everyone has been made in the Creator’s image. Few of us may be artists or naturalists but each of us has gifts of intelligence, imagination and ingenuity by which to shape and mould the world around us.
By watching carefully and working creatively, we can come to know the satisfaction of rooting ourselves in a good and glorious order, and to know that we are playing our own small part in turning up the dial of praise on the boundless wonders of creation.