14 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



own, nor for such qualities as I am not conscious to 

 myself of, which gross self-flattery must needs much 

 blind me if I did not quickly discern to proceed rather 

 from affection than judgment. I rejoice much that you 

 still pursue the study of nature, not only because of the 

 propensity I myself have to it, and consequently to love 

 such as agree with me, but also because I judge you to 

 be a person, to speak modestly, as well qualified as any 

 I know in England for such an undertaking, and so 

 likely to make the greatest advance and improvement, 

 you having taken the right course and method ; that is, 

 to see with your own eyes, not relying lazily on the dic- 

 tates of any master but yourself, comparing things with 

 books, and so learning as much as can be known of 

 them. I do not wonder a man so inquisitive should 

 make some additions to the Cambridge Catalogue. 

 Hieradum rectum rigidum* it is not unlikely you might 

 find about Burweh 1 ; but it seems somewhat strange you 

 should there meet with Alchimitta vulgaris, I having not 

 to my remembrance ever met with it in England else- 

 where than in mountainous places, as Westmoreland, 

 Wales, Derby, York, Staffordshire, &c. 



Those remarks you mention you would oblige me 

 much to communicate, I being very fond of seeing any 

 of your productions. 



I was much pleased to understand that you do not 

 confine your studies and inquiries to Phytology only, 

 but take in Zoology, and the whole latitude of natural 

 history. Lincolnshire, for fish and fowl, affords you a 

 large field, yet it is very much that in one winter you 

 should meet with upwards of fifty species ; and I wish 

 I had the sight of your descriptions, which I doubt not 

 to be very exact; but because they cannot easily be 

 transmitted, I shall only desire a catalogue of their 

 names, that so I may know what there are I have not 

 yet met with. 

 Middleton, June 18, 1667. 



* It is probably Hieradum umbellatum, Linn. 



