60 MEMOIR OF 



to retail assertions upon the credit of a prede- 

 cessor, instead of having recourse himself to 

 original sources of information. 



It appears, from the authority already quoted, 

 as well as from other sources, that Mr Willughby 

 took his degree of bachelor of arts in the year 

 1655-6, that is, when he was about twenty-one 

 years of age ; and in the year 1659, he took the 

 degree of master of arts when about twenty-three 

 years old. Nothing can be inferred as to the 

 attainments made by Mr Willughby, in the usual 

 studies of the University, from any public record ; 

 for, at the time he graduated, the names of the 

 bachelors were simply arranged in alphabetical 

 order, their respective merits not being at that 

 time, and for many years afterwards, distinguished 

 by any classification. 



He resided, with some absences, much longer 

 in the University than is usual, being most pro- 

 bably induced to do so by the continued residence 

 there of Mr Ray, and of other friends of conge- 

 nial habits, particularly those pupils of Mr Ray 

 already mentioned. Mr Nid, a fellow of Trinity 

 College, also then resident in the University, 

 belonged to this society of scientific friends. 



In the September of 1660,* Mr Willughby 

 went " to sojourn" at Oxford for the benefit of 

 consulting some rare works in the public library. 

 In this year also Mr Ray published his first work, 

 entitled " Catalogus Plantarum circa Cantabrigiam 



* Wood's Fasti, 1660. 



