RAY. 177 



to disparage, deride, and vilifie those studies which 

 themselves skill not of, or are not conversant in ; no 

 knowledge can be more pleasant than this, — none 

 that doth so satisfie and feed the soul ; in compari- 

 son whereto that of words and phrases seems to me 

 insipid and jejune. That learning (saith a wise and 

 observant prelate) which consists only in the form 

 and pedagogy of arts, or the critical notions upon 

 words and phrases, hath in it this intrinsical im- 

 perfection, that it is only so far to be esteemed as it 

 conduceth to the knowledge of things, being in it- 

 self but a kind of pedantry, apt to infect a man with 

 such odd humours of pride, and affectation, and cu- 

 riosity, as will render him unfit for any great em- 

 ployment." 



We do not find any particular account of his last 

 years, nor of his family relations and circumstances, 

 further than that he had three daughters, and lived 

 contentedly on very humble means; being constantly 

 occupied, when his health permitted, in studying the 

 works of God, and communicating the results of his 

 observations to the world. We are not aware of 

 a single stain on his character, and are proud to 

 point to him as a naturalist of undoubted and 

 acknowledged powers, who " walked humbly with 

 his God," and furnishes the best practical refuta- 

 tion of the lying assertion advanced by certain 

 philosophers of the " grand nation," that men emi- 

 nent for piety are either fools or knaves. As he had 

 lived, so he desired to die " in the communion of 

 the Catholick Church of Christ, and a true though 

 unworthy son of the church by law established in 

 this kingdom," of which he considered '' the doc- 

 trine pure, and the worship decent, and agreeable 



