[The original of the following LETTER from JOHN RAY to AUBREY is inserted immediately after 

 the Preface, in the MS. at Oxford. It is not transcribed into the Royal Society's copy of the work. 

 .B.] 



FOR MR. JOHN AUBREY. 



S r , Black Notley, 8 br 27, 91. 



Your letter of Octob. 22 d giving advice of your safe return to London came to 

 hand, w cl ' as I congratulate with you, so have I observed your order in remitting your Wiltsliire 

 History, w ch with this enclosed I hope you will receive this week. I gave you my opinion con- 

 cerning this work in my last, w ch I am more confirmed in by a second perusal, and doe wish that 

 you would speed it to y* presse. It would be convenient to fill up y e blanks so far as you can ; but 

 I am afraid that will be a work of time, and retard the edition. Whatever you conceive may give 

 offence may by y 6 wording of it be so softned and sweetned as to take off y e edge of it, as pills are 

 gilded to make them lesse ungratefull. As for the soil or air altering the nature, and influencing 

 the wits of men, if it be modestly delivered, no man will be offended at it, because it accrues not to 

 them by their own fault : and yet in such places as dull men's wits there are some exceptions to be 

 made. You know the poet observes that Democritus was an example 



Summos posse viros, et magna exempla daturos 

 Vervecu in patria, crassoqj sub aere nasci. 



Neither is y r observation universally true that the sons of labourers and rusticks are more dull and 

 indocile than those of gentlemen and tradesmen ; for though I doe not pretend to have become of the 

 first magnitude for wit or docility, yet I think I may without arrogance say that in our paltry 

 country school here at Braintry Ego meis me minoribm condiscipulis iiif/enio prcelu\_si\ : but per- 

 chance the advantage I had of my contemporaries may rather be owing to my industry than natural 

 parts ; so that I should rather say studio or industria excellui. 



I think (if you can give me leave to be free with you) that you are a little too inclinable to credit 

 strange relations. I have found men that are not skilfull in y e history of nature, very credulous, 

 and apt to impose upon themselves and others, and therefore dare not give a firm assent to anything 

 they report upon their own autority; but are ever suspicious that they may either be deceived 

 themselves, or delight to teratologize (pardon y e word) and to make a shew of knowing strange 

 things. 



You write that the Museum at Oxford was rob'd, but doe not say whether your noble present 

 was any part of the losse. Your picture done in miniature by Mr. Cowper is a tiling of great value. 

 I remember so long agoe as I was in Italy, and while he was yet living, any piece of his was highly 

 esteemed there; and for that kind of painting he was esteemed the best artist in Europe. 



What my present opinion is concerning formed stones, and concerning the formation of the world, 

 you will see in a discourse that is now gone to the presse concerning the Dissolution of the World : 

 my present opinion, I say, for in such things I am not fix't, but ready to alter upon better informa- 

 tion, saving always y 6 truth of y e letter of y 6 scripture. I thank you for your prayers and good 

 wishes, and rest, 



S r , your very humble servant, 



JOHN RAY. 



