Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 143 



Mr. Bicheno (Secretary to the Linnsean Society; proposed, 

 " Prosperity to the Royal Society." In giving such a toast, and 

 in such a company, all remark must be unnecessary: still he might 

 be allowed to say, that he proposed it from his heart, and that he 

 did so principally from having, in an official situation in anotiier so- 

 ciety, experienced the good effects which proceeded from its foster- 

 ing care, its kindly protection, and the powerful assistance it ex- 

 tended to other Societies, especially to that to which he belonged, 

 when they had arrived at maturity. He then pronounced a warmi 

 eulogy on Ray, whom Cuvier had justly called un Methodisie, and 

 whose works he had studied, still with fresh advantage, for the last 

 twenty years. Ray was indeed a methodist. He was the first who 

 arranged the grand outlines of Natural History, and enabled every 

 one to become acquainted with the groups, the grand formations of 

 nature. With the minute particulars of his subject, Ray had not 

 much interfered ; but he had originated that system of arrangement 

 which gave perspicuity to the labours of others, and had accurately 

 described the character of Nature's grand operations. No doubt he 

 had gathered much from Gryneeus ; but still, even in the application 

 of what he had gathered, he had done a vast deal. Most ages were 

 proud of the advances they had made in science. While, however, 

 we boasted of systematic arrangement, it should be remembered that, 

 although the Natural Method was too much overlooked during the 

 latter part of the last century, Ray first discovered its value. As a 

 Zoologist, he was not prepared to speak of that great man ; but in 

 that branch of Natural History with which he might pretend to some 

 acquaintance, he felt an admiration for his genius beyond the power 

 of language to express. 



The Chairman, on proposing " Prosperity to the Linneean So- 

 ciety," gave a .sketch of its origin. It was in truth a branch of the 

 Royal Society. It had been formed on the suggestion of the late Sir 

 Joseph Banks, in consequence of the multiplicity of business the 

 Roval Society had been called upon to attend to. How well it had 

 discharged its duties the scientific world well knew. 



Mr. Lambert, Vice President of the Linnsean Society, returned 

 thanks : and 



Mr. E. Forster, Vice President and Treasurer, said, that born and 

 educated in the same county with Ray, he had been taught from his 

 infancy to admire that great man ; and his admiration soon became 

 veneration, from a study of his writings. Nearly forty years ago he 

 had first visited his tomb, before it had long since undergone a repair 

 at the expense of a gentleman present (Sir Thomas Gery Cullum). 

 In his pilgrimages to Ray's tomb", he had felt great delight in seeing 



also 



• It has lately been repaired again by Mr. Wnlker, the rector of Black 

 Notley. Mr. Tyson, in a letter to Mr. Cole, 1779, says, " One part of 

 my rainhle was to visit the last residence of that pious ijliilosophcr, Mr. 

 R:'iy, niack Notify, con amort: I made a (hawing of the church, and of 

 his iMonmnent in the chnrciiyard. The pan-,h clerk iiad such reineni- 

 brance of him from others, that he related various inci(i(Mits. The clerk 

 pointed out to nie the farm-house whicli was once iiis dwelling. I there 



saw 



