RAY. 



Account of the Life and Writings of Ray. 



Birth and Parentage of Ray — He receives the Rudiments of his 

 Education at Braintree School— At the age of Sixteen enters at 

 Katherine Hall, Cambridge — Removes to Trinity College, where 

 he passes through various Gradations, and becomes a Fellow — 

 Publishes liis Catalogue of Cambridge Plants, and undertakes 

 several Journeys — Extracts from his Itineraries — Resigns his 

 Fellowship— Becomes a Member of the Ro3'al Society — Pub- 

 lishes his Catalogue of Enghsh Plants, &c Death of his 



most intimate Friend, JNIr Willughby — Character of that Gen- 

 tleman — Mr RajT undertakes the Education of his Sons, and 

 writes a Vocabulary for their Use — Notice of Dr Lister — Seve- 

 ral Works published by Mr Ray, who improves and edits 

 Willughby's Notes on Birds and Fishes — Continues his scientific 

 Labours — Remarks on the Scoter and Barnacle — Letters of Dr 

 Robinson and Sir Hans Sloane — Notice respecting the latter — 

 Publication of the Synopsis of British Plants, the Wisdom of 

 God manifested in the Works of Creation, &c. — Estimate of the 

 Number of Animals and Plants known — Synopsis of Quadrupeds 

 and Serpents — Classification of Animals — Various Publications 

 — Ray's Decline — His last Letter — His Ideas of a Future State, 

 and of the Use of the Study of Nature — His Death, Character, 

 and principal Writings. 



The distinguished individual whose history we are 

 about to sketch, and who is considered by many 

 persons of the present age as the greatest naturalist 

 that Britain has yet produced, was born on the 29th 

 November 1628, at Black Notley, near Braintree in 

 Essex. His father, Roger Wray, was a blacksmith, 

 — a circumstance which affords another proof that 



