CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 293 



Mr. RAY to Dr. HANS SLOANE. 



B. N., March 10, 1696. 



SIR, The spring coming on, and the weather now 

 favouring, I am desirous, with all convenient speed, to 

 finish and prepare for the press my Supplement. Hist. 

 Plant., not that I think the booksellers will be very for- 

 ward at so difficult a time as this to be at the charge of 

 printing it, but because I would rid my mind of the 

 thoughts of it, being sensible that my glass runs low. 

 I desire, therefore, that you would please, so soon as may 

 stand with your convenience, to send me your Observa- 

 tions and History of the Jamaica and other American 

 Plants, ^nich you were so kind as to offer me the sight 

 and use of. I should not have had the confidence other- 

 wise to have begged such a favour of you, but should 

 have contented myself with the names and titles I had 

 found in your Catalogue, the greatest part of my Supple- 

 ment being only a collection of such names and titles 

 gathered out of books ; but yet, notwithstanding your 

 kind offer, if, upon second thoughts, you judge it may 

 be detrimental or prejudicial to the sale of your work to 

 permit me to deflower it, or take excerpta out of it, I shall 

 be willing rather to want such ornaments and advantages 

 to my book than to be thereby injurious to you. It 

 being now so long since I received a letter from you, I 

 am not without some fear that you may not have been 

 well ; and therefore for my satisfaction therein, and the 

 premised particulars, please to send me a line or two. So 

 I humbly recommend yourself and family to the Divine 

 protection and blessing, and rest, 



Sir, 

 Your very affectionate and obliged friend 



and humble servant, 



JOHN RAY. 



My wife gives you her humble services. 



For his honoured friend Dr. Hans Sloane, 



at his house at the corner of Southampton street, 

 towards Bloomsbury square, London. 



