150 Miscellaneous. 



LETTERS FROM RAY TO SIR HANS SLOANE. 



On drawing toward the completion of his Supplement to the ' Historia 



Plantarum.' -His remarks on Plukenefs ' Almagestum BotanicumJ 



[MS. Sloan. Brit. Mus. 4056. fol. 157. Orig.'] 



Black Notley, July 17, —96. ' 



Sir, — Since my last to you, considering my infirmities, and crazi- 

 nesse admonishing me of the near approach of Death, I think it best 

 to speed the finishing and fitting my Supplement for the Presse, and 

 to deliver it up into the Bookseller's hand who put me upon it, to be 

 published or suppressed, as he shall find it most for his own interest. 

 I am sensible that it must needs be a very weak and imperfect thing, 

 I wanting those helps which those that have travell'd into the Indies 

 and live about London have. But yet none so fit to make a Supple- 

 ment to my own History as my self ; and there be many faults I am 

 advised of, which I would willingly correct. But I would fain dis- 

 patch it and rid my hands of it, that so it may be no disturbance to 

 my thoughts. Your History, were it reasonable for me to beg the 

 defloration of it, would afford the greatest ornaments to it. But I 

 am almost come to a resolution not to desire any such thing of you, 

 but content my self with the names I find in your Catalogue of such 

 as are non- descripts ; and with your Synonyma for the reducing of 

 such as are repeated. 



I have gotten a sight of Dr. Plukenet's Almagestum Bot. though 

 as yet he hath not presented me with a copy of it. I find in it many 

 mistakes in the language, and in the composition of Greek names ; 

 and I doubt not but there are many in the matter. It is impossible 

 but that a man who relies wholly upon dried specimens of Plants (be 

 he never so cunning) should often mistake and multiply. He hath 

 abundance of Jamaica plants, which if in your Catalogue it is very 

 difficult to reduce them, especially his Felices. As far as I am able 

 to judge, he is often out in his conjectural Synonymes : in one or two 

 he is reprehended by Mons'^.Tournefort ; and is of himself apt enough 

 to multiply species. But no more of him. 



I am not yet quite rid of my distemper : I hope it will off by de- 

 grees : heer hath been a very unseasonable Summer, for the most 

 part very cold and wet ; and I live in a sharp Air, my house standing 

 on a hill exposed to the North and North-East winds, which is in- 

 convenient for one who is subject to colds, and whose lungs are apt 

 to be affected. Excuse this periautology , and take me to be, as 

 really I am. Sir, 



Your much obliged friend and humble servant, 



John Ray. 



I must not forget my Wives service, who is very much yours. 

 For Dr. Hans Sloane, at his House at the corner of Southampton Street, 

 next Bloomsbury Square, London. 



On the rudeness ofTournefort toward him in his ' Elemens de Botanique.' 



[Ibid. fol. 219. Orig.'] 



Sir, — I have been so interrupted and disturbed lately that I have 



not been able to finish the two Tribes you last sent me. I presume 



Mons'". Gundelcschmir since his return to London hath acquainted 



