Notice of British Naturalists. | 229 
~ Of his goodness of heart we have already had occasion to speak. 
A child-like simplicity seems to have been a prominent point in 
his character ; and he enjoyed the society of those whose minds 
were of a humble and inquisitive nature. His friendships were 
unalterable ; and his course in life was marked by an absence of 
quarrels, and the love of those connected with him. In 1682, he 
was led into dispute with Tournefort and Rivinus. Literary con- 
toversy is but too often the offspring of arrogance and folly on 
one side or the other, and seldom leads to any other result than 
to leave each champion the more strangely convinced of the truth 
of his own opinion. Ray was soon sorry for it and gave it over. 
“The contentious way of writing was by no means agreeable to 
his sweet and peaceful nature, who, as he loved all men, so de- 
sired to be at perfect peace and unity with all.” It is perhaps to 
be lamented, that having voluntarily entered into holy orders, he 
should so entirely have forgotten the vows which were upon him, 
not afterwards to have officiated ; and we can only account 
for it from the fact of his being in a measure prevented by the 
Bartholomew act, and by the bent of his mind leading him, weakly 
leading him perhaps, to other pursuits. Had he made natural 
history a part of his studies while prosecuting his still more im- 
Portant profession, all honor would have been due to him; but as 
t is, We can only be sorry that his course in this respect was not 
different. Ip the words of one who knew him well, we conclude: 
“Th his dealings no man was more strictly just; in his conver-- 
sation no man more humble, courteous, and affable. ‘Towards 
od no man more devout. Towards the poor and distressed no 
man more compassionate, and charitable according to his abilities.” 
He was but a man, and as such but weak and fallible. In 
his Works his piety is predominant. He never forgot that he 
Was occupied in searching the wonders of his God; or that his 
Were to tend to his honor and glory: and thus it is that 
Where Science becomes the handmaid to religion, she is in her 
“PPtopriate sphere and is all glorious; but that when she de- 
Scends from this her proper place, then her form is polluted, and 
her influence worse than evil. 
id we not confine ourselves especially to the writers upon 
British hatural history, the name of Willoughby, the friend of 
¥; would be deserving of high and honorable mention, He 
€N in a great measure to zodlogy, what Ray was to bot- 
