294 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



Mr. RAY to Dr. HANS SLOANE. 



Black Notley, March 22, 96. 



SIR, I received both your letters, and must needs 

 acknowledge myself extremely obliged to you for your 

 extraordinary and unmerited kindness. The sugar you 

 design me I cannot, without some violation of modesty, 

 receive, having no prospect of making you any other 

 amends than verbal, by acknowledging the obligation and 

 returning thanks. The reason why I desire to hasten 

 the finishing my Supplement is, because I am sensible 

 my time is but short, and I would willingly get it off 

 hand, that I may have some time to spare before the 

 access of death. Yet do I not intend to part then with 

 the whole copy, or put it all at once into the bookseller's 

 hand, but by piecemeal, as it is printed off. You tell me 

 news of posthumous pieces of Malpighius, but I since 

 find them in the catalogue of books printed for Hilary 

 Term, which I received last week. The weather is again 

 grown very sharp, which, if it continues so, will hinder 

 my proceedings, being unable to continue long from the 

 fire to write much. I am at present, I thank God, in 

 health, as I hope yourself and family are. The sores 

 upon my legs are in a likely way of healing up shortly. 

 I have of late made use of a new salve, made up of two 

 parts of diapalma and one of basilicon, which I have 

 experienced to be very effectual for healing and drying, 

 though I must expect their breaking out again next 

 winter, if 1 live so long. My wife gives you her very 

 humble service. I shall expect your submarine tribe 

 this week. I am, 



Sir, 



Your much obliged friend and humble servant, 



JOHN RAY. 



For his honoured friend Dr. Hans Sloane, 

 at his house at the corner of Southampton street, 

 towards Bloomsbury square, London. 



