Notice of British Naturalists. 229 



Of his goodness of heart we have already had occasion to speak, 

 A child-Kke simpUcity seems to have been a prominent point in 

 his character ; and he enjoyed the society of those whose minds 

 were of a humble and inquisitive nature. His friendships were 

 unalterable ; and his course in life was marked by an absence of 

 quarrels, and the love of those connected with him. In 1682, he 

 was led into dispute with Tournefort and Rivinus, Literary con- 

 troversy is but too often the offspring of arrogance and folly on 

 one side or the other, and seldom leads to any other result than 

 to leave each champion the more strangely convinced of the truth 

 of his own opinion. Ray was soon sorry for it and gave it over. 

 '• The contentious way of v/riting was by no means agreeable to 

 his sweet and peaceful nature, who, as he loved all men, so de- 

 sired to be at perfect peace and unity with all." It is perhaps to 

 be lamented, that having voluntarily entered into holy orders, he 

 should so entirely have forgotten the vows which were upon him, 

 as not afterwards to have officiated ; and we can only account 

 for it from the fact of his being in a measure prevented by the 

 Bartholomew act, and by the bent of his mind leading him, weakly 

 leading him perhaps, to other pursuits. Had he made natural 

 history a part of his studies while prosecuting his still more im- 

 portant profession, all honor would have been due to him ; but as 

 it is, we can only be sorry that his course in this respect was not 

 different. In the words of one who knew him well, we conclude ; 

 "In his dealings no man was more strictly just ; in his conver- 

 sation no man more humble, courteous, and affable. Towards 

 God no man more devout. Towards the poor and distressed no 

 man more compassionate, and charitable according to his abilities." 



He was but a man, and as such but weak and fallible. In 

 his works his piety is predominant. He never forgot that he 

 was occupied in searching the wonders of his God ; or that his 

 labors were to tend to his honor and glory : and thus it is that 

 where science becomes the handmaid to religion, she is in her 

 appropriate sphere and is all glorious ; but that when she de- 

 scends from this her proper place, then her form is polluted, and 

 her influence worse than evil. 



Did we not confine ourselves especially to the writers upon 

 British natural history, the name of Willoughby, the friend of 

 Ray, would be deserving of high and honorable mention. He 

 was then in a great measure to zoology, what Ray was to bot-' 



