

54 MEMOIR OF RAY. 



Chaos, and Creation of the World : the general De- 

 luge, and Dissolution of the World ;" which was 

 published in 1692, and dedicated to Archbishop 

 Tillotson. Although little known in the present 

 day, this work excited considerable attention at the 

 time it appeared, and soon went through several 

 editions. It is a striking proof of the extent and 

 variety of knowledge which its author possessed ; 

 and, independent of its theoretical views, contains 

 such an assemblage of facts relating to the structure 

 of the earth, and the changes which it has under- 

 gone, that it has not yet altogether lost its utility.* 

 In compliance with the urgent solicitation of Dr 

 Tancred Robinson,/ Ray undertook to prepare a 

 series of synoptical arrangements of such of the 

 other classes of animals as had not been included 

 in his former publications ; thus furnishing a view 

 almost of the whole system of nature, f The first of 

 these works was the Synopsis Methodica Animalium 

 Quadrupedum, et Serpentini Generis, which appeared 

 in 1693. Besides a systematic classification of these 

 animals, it gives a pretty full account of their forms 

 and internal structure, and is enriched with nume- 

 rous important observations, and interesting details, 

 illustrative of their habits and instincts. It was in 

 general use among naturalists till the year 1735, 

 when it was superseded by the system of Linnaeus. 



* Pulteney's Sketches of the Progress of Botany in 

 England, vol. i. p. 239. 



