FRANCIS WILLUGHBY. 



lers were unable to make the grand tour, but took 

 the direction of the Low Countries, and proceeded 

 through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, reaching 

 as far as Sicily and Malta. The immense variety 

 of topics on which they bestowed examination, 

 " natural, topographical, moral, physiological, 

 politics, literature, mechanics, antiquities, and 

 other curiosities," renders it impossible to give 

 any idea of their vigilance and activity.* A 

 catalogue of the plants which they discovered is 

 added to the volume, and is a proof of their 

 amazing industry in their botanical researches. 



In this expedition, Mr Ray is said to have 

 observed many plants in Switzerland, which, in 

 the judgment of Haller, were not known even to 

 the natives of that country. At Montpelier they 

 separated, Mr Ray, Mr Skippon, and Mr Bacon, 

 returning to England, and Mr Willughby, accom- 

 panied by a merchant, beginning his travels in 

 Spain, August 31, 1664. Mr Willughby's diary, 

 after their departure, of what he saw in Spain, 

 is characterized by the same multi-variety of 

 subjects. It is an admirable specimen of minute 

 observation upon every thing that presented itself 

 to his notice. He also wrote to Mr Ray, giving 

 him an account of the principal things he had 

 seen since they parted. To the great regret of 

 the travellers, all the papers belonging to Mr 

 Willughby and Mr Ray, in which they had very 

 accurately described all the birds, fishes, &c. 



Title page to " the Travels," &c. 



