PREFACE. 



every plant he admitted into his Synopsis, and to 

 have gathered most of them with his own hands. 

 He studied and determined their synonyms, com- 

 pared their descriptions, and, tracing their natural 

 affinities and characters, by the parts of fructification 

 as well as by the general habit, he disposed the whole 

 in systematic order. He was rarely deceived in the 

 observation of nature, and was only occasionally mis- 

 led, by the imperfect figures or descriptions of pre- 

 ceding writers. Above 100 species are added, in this 

 edition, to the list of British plants. 



The third edition of Ray's Synopsis was published 

 in 1724, nineteen years after his death, by the cele- 

 brated Dillenius, a German botanist, brought into 

 England by William Sherard, formerly British Con- 

 sul at Smyrna, who by his will founded the Botani- 

 cal Professorship at Oxford, and appointed Dille- 

 nius the first Professor. The editor modestly de- 

 clined prefixing his own name to this book, as being 

 a foreigner. In a letter to Dr. Richardson, printed 

 in the Linncean Correspondence*, vol. 2. 130, he ac- 

 knowledges his obligations to that gentleman and to 

 Consul Sherard, as having principally contributed to 

 the perfection of this publication ; and in the work 

 itself he every where commemorates those who have 

 given him particular assistance, especially with 

 regard to the native stations of the rarer species. 

 Twenty-four plates, drawn and engraved by the 

 editor, are added to this edition, which is the only 



• * A Selection of the Correspondence of LinnfLus, and other natu- 

 ralists, from the original manuscripts. By Sir J. E. Smith, M.D. F.R.S. 

 P.L.S., in two volumes, octavo, London, 1851. 



