Dr. SMITHS Introductory Difcourfe. 2t 
original fellows of the Royal Society, although his friend Ray was 
not admitted till the year 1667. Dr. Lifter, the great conchologift, 
Was very early affociated with it, as well as that admirable vegetable 
phyfiologift Dr. Grew. i 
Nor was France behind-hand with England in attention to the 
Íciences, and among the reft natural hiftory. Henry IV. that — 
great name which fcience delights in joining with humanity to 
blefs, had endeavoured long ago to promote literature and ufeful 
knowledge throughout his dominions. Among other inftitutions 
the botanic gardens of Paris and Montpellier are owing to his mu- 
nificence. But his untimely death, and the fubfequent diftur- 
bances, for a while put a ftop to all farther cultivation of the 
arts of prase. ios ndi years afterwards, by the indefatigable 
rfeverance of De Iz ‘faperintendant of the Paris garden, the 
Cardinal de Richlieu was induced to grant it his proteétion; but 
this garden firft rofe to any confiderable degree of eminence towards 
the end of the laft century under Louis XIV: This munificent 
prince encouraged learning with that fplendid liberality which dif- 
tinguifhed all his aétions. For the purpofe of promoting botany, 
and enriching the royal garden, the illuftrious Tournefort was fent 
to the Levant, and the accurate and indefatigable. Plumier made- 
three voyages to America, and died as he was about undertaking a 
fourth. An Academy of Sciences was inftituted at Paris in 1666; 
and: another fome years after at Montpellier, very fimilar to the 
Royal Society of London, with which the greateft men in Europe 
have always been proud to be affociated. 
. Many fimilar inftitutions were fet on foot throughout Europe. 
as the Imperial Academy Naturz Curioforum, begun in 1652. A 
number of botanic gardens were alfo eftablifhed in Germany ; but 
Linnzus has truly obferved that they have never been rich in 
exotic plants, on account of the fmall intercourfe of. that country. 
with. 
