St RR SRN Re Ne 
The PREFACE. 
“pem to have a great deftre to be the firft Authors of difcovering fuch or 
_fuch Plants, and to have them carry their Names at the furft Place, but 
I endeavour'd rather to find if any thing I bad obferv'd was taken No- 
tice of by other Perfons; I therefore lookd into moft Books of this Nature, 
and the greateft part of what I found, is publifh'd in the Catalogue of 
Jamaica Plants I printed about ten Years fince, wherein I endeavour'd to 
do right to the firft Authors and the Publick; It is a Catalogue of the 
Plants I met with at Jamaica, ¢xc. Which I think, for Synonymous Names 
‘of the Plants therein mentioned, is fomewhat more Copious and exatt than 
any other before it: And which may be of fome Ufe to inquifitive Perfons, 
efpecially when they fhall have this Hiftory of the things therein contain'd, 
I have not reprinted in this Book thofe Names or Titles, becaufe ‘twas 
great Labour, and 1s done there already, but have only added the Syno- 
nymous Names I found in fuch Books as are fince Publifhd or come to 
my Edands. The looking after the Obfervations of Others, to make this 
more Exa€t and Useful, bas given an Opportinity to feveral People to ane 
ticipate me, by either Publifhing Juch Things as I have fhewn them, told 
them, or eee, to Mr. Courten, from whom they bad thems 
wherein they have committed fome Miftakes, for want of full Information 
or exaét Memory. 
T have been fometimes fhort, in giving the UJes of thefe Plants, but 
I hope I may be underftood, and the Author whofe Name is fet down 
( Abbreviated, ) may on any Gnbignoas or p Objcowe Paffage be confulted, 
for thofe Notes were written to-bri what they faid, to be 
perufed at leifure, and modell d after, which I have never yet had time 
to do. The principal Defign of them was, that the Inhabitants of thofe 
Places, might underftand what Ufes the Plants they have growing Sponte 
or in Gardens with them, are put to in any of the Countries wherever they 
grow, that fo they may have recourfe to them in Cafes that require sboha 
It is very hard to carry thither fuch European Simples as. are proper for 
the Cure of all forts of Difeafes, and People are put to it to find fuch as 
are effettual in fome of them, and yet will keep their Vertues.\ This puxzl'd 
me feveral times, as may be'feen in the following Medical Obfervations. 
The firft Volume contains an Introduction, giving an Account of the 
Situation, ‘Temperature, Difeafes, &c. of the Ifland, which feem’d neceffary 
to be premisd to the Hiftory itfelf. After this, follows the Voyage thither, 
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