RAY. 35 



Boyle, Sydenham, on fevers, and the " Philosophical 

 Transactions," " making few discoveries," says he, 

 " save of mine own errors." The following winter 

 he was employed at Mr. Willughby's, in arranging 

 that gentleman's museum of seeds, dried plants, 

 birds, fishes, shells, and other objects of natural 

 history and coins, and in forming tables of plants 

 and animals for the use of Dr. Wilkins. He 

 began to ar range a cat alogue of the English native 

 ^ant s which he had gathered, rather for h is own 

 use than with any immediate view of publication 

 at present. He wrote to Dr. Lister, "The world 

 is glutted with bungling;" "I resolve never to 

 put out anything which is not as perfect as is 

 possible for me to make it. I wish you would 

 take a little pains this summer about grasses, 

 that so we might compare notes." The above 

 resolution of our author is no doubt highly com- 

 mendable, but the world has rather to lament that 

 so many able men have formed the same deter- 

 mination, at least in natural science. If it were 

 universally adhered to, scarcely any work would see 

 the light, for few can be so sensible of the defects 

 of any other person's attempt to illustrate the 

 works of nature, as a man of tolerable judgment 

 must be of his own. This is especially the case 

 with those who, like Ray, direct their aspiring 

 views towards system and philosophical theory. 

 Happily he did not try this arduous path, till he 

 had trained himself by wholesome practical disci- 

 pline in observation and experience. His first 



