156 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



that to the mind suddenly, and with ease and pleasure, 

 an idea whereof cannot be formed by the help of a de- 

 scription without time and pains, and a greater attention 

 than most readers have patience to give it. And for 

 directions to the best figures of known and described 

 plants in other books, to have recourse to them would 

 distract and interrupt the reader ; and it is likely but few 

 readers would have the books referred to, so that though 

 by printing this work without figures it would be ren- 

 dered of more general use, being less bulky and of 

 lower price ; yet inferring some kind of necessity of pur- 

 chasing the books referred to, it would occasion as great 

 an expense as if it had been printed with cuts. But as 

 for the danger of losing the whole, that is inconsiderable, 

 it being, perchance, as good lost as found. For my own 

 part, my motives to attempt the compiling it were the 

 instigation of some friends, and a consideration that no 

 Englishman since Dr. Turner hath written so of plants, 

 but that a man of no more skill in botanies than myself 

 may easily enlarge and amend what they have done. 

 Besides, had they done never so well, their works are in 

 great measure useless to foreigners, as being written in 

 English. Dr. Morison is a Scotchman, so I make not 

 him an English herbarist, nor pass any sentence on his 

 performances; judicio stetque cadatquc tuo. But this 

 paper will hold no more ; scarce room left to assure you 

 that I am, &c. 

 Black Notley, October 22, 84. 



Dr. HANS SLOANE to Mr. RAY. 



SIR, 1 am heartily glad to hear that you are about so 

 useful a work as the history of plants, done by you, will 

 be ; I am sure we want it extremely, and that it will be 

 very much esteemed by the botanists beyond sea, parti- 

 cularly Monsieur Tourriefort, the king's professor at Paris, 



