CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 409 



I wish we were as well able as we are willing to make 

 you some part of an amends j but we have no hope of 

 that ; so that for real favours we have nothing to return 

 you but verbal acknowledgments. 



I do also render you many thanks for attending my 

 Lord Bishop of London at my request, to have conference 

 with him about the subject of procuring plates for my 

 History of Plants. For my part, I never thought of such 

 a design, but some friends here were very earnest for it, 

 and treated about it with the bishop without my know- 

 ledge, who showed a great inclination to me, and used 

 many expressions of kindness, and was very forward to 

 offer InT assistance towards the promoting such a work ; 

 whereupon I could do no less than send him a letter of 

 thanks, which he favorably accepted, and returned me an 

 extremely obliging answer, wherein he desired me to 

 send one of my friends to him to treat about that affair, 

 and tell him what he should do in it ; but I see there are 

 so many difficulties that attend the management, that as 

 I never intended it at first, so I am now very willing to 

 lay aside all thoughts of it. 



I have a small present for you, which I entreat you to 

 accept as magni affecius eriguum effectum. It is my 

 ' Methodus Plantarum emendata et aucta/ of which I 

 have desired Mr. Smith to send or deliver you two copies, 

 one in the larger, and the other in the common paper ; 

 but I am ashamed that I must put you to the charge of 

 binding them, for they came to me in quires, and perhaps 

 you will not find them worth the binding. The straitness 

 of time will not permit me to add any more than that 

 I am, 



Sir, 



Your most humble and very much obliged servant, 



JOHN RAY. 



For his honoured friend, Dr. Hans Sloanc, 



at his house at the corner of Southampton street, 

 towards Bloomsbwy square, London. 



