380 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



alive, and how I did ; he could obtain no answer, where- 

 upon he addressed himself to you, who presently satisfied 

 him. 



I am now much worse than when I wrote to you last, 

 being, by the sharpness of my pains, reduced to that 

 weakness that I can scarce stand alone, so that I lay aside 

 all thoughts of the History of Insects, and despair even 

 of life itself. 



I remember in one of your former letters to me, you 

 told me that my condition might lead to a dropsy, and 

 did advise to a chalybeate course. I now find your pre- 

 diction true, my feet and legs swelling and puffing on the 

 least pressure. I humbly beg your advice at this time 

 how I ought to do. 



My wife gives you her most humble service, so do my 

 daughters. I am, 



Sir, 

 Your extremely obliged, most humble, and 



obedient servant, 



JOHN RAY. 



To his honoured friend, Dr. Hans Sloane, 

 at his house at the corner of Southampton street, 

 towards Bloomsbury square, London. 



Dr. PRESTON to Mr. RAY. 



SIR, Since my arrival in Scotland, I have been so 

 much diverted by business that I have got but little spare 

 time to mind anything of curiosity (save this last summer 

 that I made some few observations on plants), which has 

 been the occasion of my long silence. Besides, I could 

 not perform my promise in giving you the synonyme of 

 such plants as were entered in the 'ElementaBot/ under 

 a new name, and as nondescripts, and yet were old plants, 

 for I wanted the Elementa Bot. And having advice from 



