486 APPENDIX. 



been employed in his ' Synopsis/ and in conformity with them he digested 

 his ' Historia Plantarum generalis,' a work of immense labour and research, 

 which contains descriptions of nearly 20,000 species of plants, arranged in 

 a systematic order, many of the groups of which are purely natural, and 

 agree perfectly with those admitted by the best informed of modern botanists. 

 Tn the first book of this history, entitled De Plantis in genere, Ray fully 

 established his rank as a physiological botanist. His detached remarks on 

 the motion of the sap in plants, ana on other points of vegetable physiology, 

 are there embodied with the principal discoveries made by previous or con- 

 temporary writers, so as to form, according to Du Petit thouars, the most 

 complete treatise which yet exists on vegetation taken as a whole. " To 

 isolate this book, and to reprint it in a separate form," continues that dis- 

 tinguished botanist, " would constitute the most noble monument that could 

 be erected to the memory of Ray." 



As a geologist, the fame of Ray must rest on his three physico-theological 

 discourses concerning the primitive Chaos and Creation, the General Deluge, 

 and the Dissolution of the World, a highly popular work, which was fre- 

 quently reprinted, and which proposes a theory at least as plausible as any 

 which had then appeared, or was advanced until long after its publication. 

 A portion of his Collection of Unusual or Local English Words, with the 

 Preparation of Metals and Minerals in England, &c. proves also that he was 

 by no means neglectful of this interesting branch of natural science so often 

 as he possessed opportunities of attending to it. 



The preceding list, copious as it appears, contains only the more important 

 works of Ray as a naturalist, without including his Appendices, his Supple- 

 ments, his Catalogues, his detached papers, &c., and without adverting to 

 his various publications on philology, his travels, his philosophical treatises 

 and letters, and his theological productions. Of the latter, one, however, 

 cannot be passed by without notice. Few works have been more frequently 

 reprinted than 'The Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the 

 Creation,' and none have better deserved the popularity they have enjoyed. 

 On the character of its author, whether as a naturalist or a divine, that lasting 

 monument of his knowledge and his piety confers equal and immortal 

 honour. 



Ray was born on the 29th of November, 1628. The two hundredth 

 anniversary of his birthday is now rapidly approaching. It will be celebrated 

 in a manner worthy of the man and of the occasion. The cultivators of 

 natural science, in each of its various branches, are anxious to take a share 

 in the commemoration of the event. 



The President of the Royal Society, Davies Gilbert, Esq. M.P., has con- 

 sented to act as chairman at the proposed dinner, and the following gentlemen 

 have already accepted the office of stewards : 



P. M. Roget, M.D. Sec. R.S. 



E. Forster, Esq. V.P. and Treas. L.S. 



J. Sabine, Esq. Sec. Hort. Soc. 



Rev. W. Kirby, r.u.s. &c. 



J . E. Bicheno, Esq. Sec. Linn. Soc. 



R. Taylor, Esq. Assistant-Sec. Linn. Soc. 



W. J.Broderip, Esq. Sec. Geol. Soc. 



N. A. Vigors, Esq. Sec. Zool. Soc. 



E. T. Bennett, Esq. Vice-Sec. Zool. SoC. 



T. Bell, Esq. F.R.S. &c. 



J. Brookes, Esq. r.n.s. &c. 



