MEMOIR OF RAY. 5L 



being now exhausted, Ray began to prepare a third 

 for the press, but the booksellers who had purchas- 

 ed the copyright of the early editions, threw so 

 many obstacles in the way, that he was induced en- 

 tirely to remodel the work, and publish it in a differ- 

 ent form. But as this could not be accomplished 

 for some time, in order, in the mean while, to satisfy 

 the importunity of his botanical friends, he publish- 

 ed, in 1688, his Fasciculus Stirpium Britannica- 

 rum post editum Catalogum Plantarum, &c. The 

 other work appeared in 1690, under the title of 

 Synopsis Methodica Stirpium JBritannicarum. This 

 publication, in the opinion of one of the most com- 

 petent judges, Sir J. E. Smith, is the great corner 

 stone of his reputation in this department of science. 

 "Of all the systematical and practical floras of any 

 country, the second edition of Ray's synopsis is the 

 most perfect that ever came under our observation. 

 He examined every plant recorded in the work, and 

 even gathered most of them himself. He investi- 

 gated their synonyms with consummate accuracy ; 

 and if the clearness and precision of other authors 

 had equalled his, he would scarcely have committed 

 an error. It is difficult to find him in a mistake or 

 misconception respecting nature herself, though he 

 sometimes misapprehends the bad figures or lame 

 descriptions he was obliged to consult."* The se- 

 cond edition, above referred to, was published in 



* Trans. Linn. Soc. iv. 277* 



