224 Notice of British Naturalists. 



naturalist we kno^v nothing. Interesting as an account of this 

 period in general is, as giving some evidence of future activity 

 and eminence, it is too often lost for want of a record ; and this 

 especially in the station in which young Ray's early life was 

 past. He was when a boy sent to a classical school at Braintree, 

 and at the age of sixteen he entered, as a commoner, at Kathe- 

 rine Hall, Cambridge. Not being, however, satisfied with this 

 college, he was soon transferred to Trinity, where, in the usual 

 course, he took his degree. His abilities were certainly good ; 

 and he was remarkable at this early period for his proficiency in 

 the knowledge of the learned languages. He was likewise very 

 industrious ; and being aware of the value of time, he carefully 

 gathered up the fragments of it ; and was able to accomplish not 

 a little, besides the usual routine of study. And here he soon 

 manifested his taste for natural history. Botany first attracted 

 his attention. Like Lord Bacon, he was extremely fond of flow- 

 ers ; and he collected and examined what he met with during 

 his walks for recreation. As this was his first love among the 

 works of God, so was it always his strongest passion, and pre- 

 dominant over that for all other departments of nature. His abil- 

 ities soon attracted attention in the university. In succession he 

 became a Fellow of Trinity College ; Greek and Mathematical 

 Lecturer, and Reader in Humanity, besides holding several other 

 offices. Not only was he an eminent tutor, but likewise a dis- 

 tinguished preacher. Theology was a favorite study of his ; and 

 he brought the books of revelation and of nature respectively to 

 bear the one upon the other. He was not however ordained at 

 this time ; for, during the disorders of the Commonwealth, the 

 ministerial ofiice was as generally held by persons not in orders 

 as the contrary. While thus diligently pursuing his graver duties, 

 he found time, in 1660, to publish his first work on natural his- 

 tory — a Catalogue of Cambridge Plants, in the arrangement of 

 which he was much assisted by a friend of the name of Rid. It 

 is neither the power of intellect, nor the brilliancy of genius, 

 which is the peculiar honor of man ; but the soundness of his 

 judgment, the strength of his moral feelings, and the warmth of 

 his affections. Without these latter the former are, as they con- 

 cern himself, mere baubles ; trusts committed to him, it is true, 

 but which he wants the power properly to use. And we may 

 here remark upon what appears to have been a distinguishing 



