32 HEROES OF SCIENCE. 



observations confined to natural history, but ex- 

 tended to local and general history, antiquities, the 

 arts, and all kinds of useful knowledge. Ray's first 

 botanical tour occupied nearly six weeks, from 

 August 9th to September i8th, 1658. On the 23rd 

 of December, 1660, he was ordained both deacon 

 and priest at the same time by Dr. Sanderson, then 

 Bishop of Lincoln. In 1661 he travelled with Mr. 

 Willughby into Scotland, returning by Cumber- 

 land and Westmoreland ; and the following year, 

 with the same companion, he accomplished a more 

 particular investigation of Wales. How critically 

 he studied the botany of the countries he visited, 

 is evident from the different editions of his works 

 called "A Catalogue of British Plants," and "A 

 Methodical Synopsis of British Wild Plants." In 

 fact, Ray felt the necessity of being able to 

 recognize plants by their accurate descriptions, and 

 saw that classification was the alphabet of the 

 science. 



All this time Mr. Ray continued to enjoy his 

 fellowship and to cultivate his Cambridge con- 

 nections ; but in September, 1662, his tranquillity 

 was disturbed by the too famous Bartholomew -^ 

 Act, by which two thousand conscientious divines 

 were turned out of their livings, and many fellows 

 of colleges deprived of their maintenance and 

 means of literary improvement. Among the latter 

 v/as the subject of our memoir, with thirteen honest 

 men at Cambridge besides, of whose names he has * 

 left us a list. One of them, Dr. Dillingham, was 



