vi Introduction. 



form a kind of Landfcape, making ufc of two or three Sorts 

 of the Ulva marina^ or Sea-Liverwort of different Colours, 

 in defigning a Variety of Hills, Dales, and Rocks, which 

 made a proper Ground-work and Keeping for the little 

 Trees, which the expanded Sea>plants and Corallines not 

 unaptly reprefented. 



My ingenious and Reverend Friend Dodor Stephen Hales, 

 paying me a Viiit, was pleafed to exprefs great Pleafure in 

 viewing thefe natural lively Landfcapes ; and deflred me to 

 make fome of the fame Kind for her Royal Highnefs the 

 Princefs Dowager of WaleSy that the young Princefles might 

 amufe themfelves, in difpofing thefe beautiful Produdions in 

 the like pidurefque Manner. And for that Purpofe, further 

 requefted me, to colled all the Varieties our Sea-coafts af- 

 forded J which I did, by the Help of my worthy Friend 

 George Shehocke Efquire, Secretary to the Poftmafter-general, 

 and fome of my Acquaintance in Irela?td. 



I had the Honour, through my Reverend Friend, to pre- 

 fent fome Pieces of this Kind to her Royal Highnefs, who 

 was pleafed to accept them with her ufual Condefcenfion. 



The great Variety, that came through my Hands, deter- 

 mined me to feparate all the different Species, and to difpofe 

 them in proper Claffes. To affift me in this Part of my La- 

 bour, I had Recourfe to the learned Ray^ who, in his Sy- 

 nopjis Stirpiu??i Britajinicarum, has given the beft Account 

 we have yet had of thefe Produdions, as well as of the in- 

 digenous Plants of Great Britain and Ireland. 



In order to diftinguifli their proper Charaders with the 

 greater Accuracy, I found it neceffary to examine them in 

 the Microfcope ; by which I foon difcovered, that they dif- 

 fered not lefs from each other, in relped to their Form, than 



they 



