CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 141 



munications, and shall, with an honorable mention of 

 you, own what I have or shall receive from you. I rest, 



Sir, 

 Your very humble servant. 



JOHN RAY. 



For his honoured friend Dr. Sloane, 

 at Mr. Wilkinson's, bookseller, at the Black Boy, 

 over against St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet-street, London. 



Dr. T. ROBINSON to Mr. RAT. 



SIR, Some of your queries are so extremely curious, 

 and so1se"verely nice, that neither I, nor the best bota- 

 nists or naturalists (that I have met withal beyond sea) 

 can satisfy such critical thoughts. I am overjoyed that 

 so vast a memory, so exact a judgment, and so universal 

 a knowledge, will be employed in compiling a general 

 history of plants, an undertaking fit only for your extra- 

 ordinary talents. I am in great hopes (because I wish 

 it very impatiently) that you will bestow on the world a 

 general history of nature (if God Almighty bless you with 

 health and a long life) ; it is very defective at present, 

 and seems to call for method and perfection from you. 



M. Marchand is dead at Paris, so is Zanoni at Bono- 

 nia, and John Maria Ferro at Venice. The three volumes 

 of dried plants, and that other of designs, are now in the 

 hands of his sons, at Venice. I viewed them several 

 times, and offered twenty pistoles (which I thought to 

 be their full value) for them ; but my money and fair 

 words were despised, the jealous Italians keeping them 

 like so many wives. Signer Zanoni hath figured many 

 of them in his ' Histor. Botan.,' which I have sent to 

 London, where you may command it if you want it. 

 M. Magnole's Catalogue lies also at Mr. Faithorn's at 

 your service. 



I perceive the Academy Royal at Paris goes on with 

 their design of publishing a general history of plants, of 



