RAY AND WILLUGHBY. I3t 



among his friend's manuscripts the histories of 

 beasts and insects, no less than of birds and fishes, 

 " digested with a method of his own." He was not 

 a simple wealthy and intelligent amateur, for he 

 was master to one of the greatest naturalists. 

 Ray, in editing Willughby's " Book on Birds," gives 

 a most touching preface to the memory of his 

 friend. He says, "He was from childhood addicted 

 to study, and ever since he came to the use of 

 reason, so great a husbander of his time, as not 

 willingly to lose, or let slip unoccupied, the least 

 fragment of it ; detesting no vice more than idle- 

 ness, which he looked on as the parent and source 

 of all others. Of his skill in natural philosophy, 

 chiefly the history of animals, I shall say no more at 

 present, but that it hath not yet been my hap to 

 meet with any man, whether in England or beyond 

 seas, of so general and comprehensive knowledge 

 therein." 



A very different career, but one which has had 

 a greater general influence on natural history, was 

 that of John Swammerdam, who was born at 

 Amsterdam, in 1637, his father being an apothe- 

 cary. His grandfather, Jacob Dirkz, was born in 

 the village of Swammerdam, near Leyden, and his 

 father, a well-to-do apothecary, lived there and 

 took his name from the village. He married 

 Berendina Corvera and settled at Amsterdam. 

 The family lived in comfort, and the little one 

 was destined, like many other naturalists, to the 

 Church. His education consisted of sound Latin 



