CORRESPONDENCE OP RAY. 453 



Mr. RAY to Dr. HANS SLOANE. 



SIR, I received yours of Aug. 19, and return you 

 many thanks for the pains you have taken in my affair, 

 and the good advice you have given me. Upon second 

 thoughts and further consideration, I think it not so con- 

 venient to deliver sheets printed and plates to the con- 

 tributors so soon as the sum contributed shall be expended, 

 but rather, as you suggest, to deliver to them entire 

 books when the work shall be finished, they paying the 

 surplusage at the rates propounded. My proposition, 

 therefore, (which I submit to your judgment) shall be as 

 followeth : 



Having already published the Histories of Birds and 

 Fishes, and a Synopsis of Quadrupeds, there remains only 

 that of Insects to complete the History of Animals ; for 

 the furnishing of which, having by me a competent 

 quantity of materials, collected partly by myself, and 

 partly by Francis Willughby, Esq., deceased, and expect- 

 ing large communications from my friends skillful in this 

 piece of natural knowledge, I am resolved (God producing 

 my life, and granting a tolerable measure of health and 

 remission of pain) to draw up a History of Insects, and 

 have already begun and made some progress in it. But 

 because such a work published without figures would not 

 be half so useful as if illustrated therewith, I intend to 

 get figures engraven for so many species contained therein 

 as I can. The charge whereof being great, I must needs 

 make some proposals for contributions for the carrying it 

 on. 



For my own part I shall endeavour 1. That all the 

 figures be exactly like the species described. 2. That 

 they be curiously and elegantly engraven. 3. That they 

 be printed on very good paper. For the effecting whereof 

 the contributors are to lay down ten shillings a-piece, 

 to be put into the hands of Mr. Samuel Smith and 



