Vlll DR. DERHAM S PREFACE. 



tunities I could not with civility withstand. But, not- 

 withstanding the Itineraries are in a great forwardness, 

 and I have made a considerable progress in his Life, yet 

 I fear I shall scarce be able to accomphsh what I in- 

 tended, having much less leism'e now than when I 

 undertook that work. 



As to his letters, he had treasured up many, or most 

 of those which he had received from his learned corre- 

 spondents, which occasioned me a great deal of trouble 

 in perusing them, and selecting such as might be of use 

 to the cm'ious ; and after I had selected them, I thought 

 it necessary to leave out all that might be of little use, 

 such as private business, compliments, &c., except now 

 and then a clause, that may be of use to Mr. Ray's, or 

 some other learned man's character, or that may show 

 their learned projects, or give some account of their 

 labours. • 



So that the reader hath in this collection the marrow 

 and most valuable part of Mr. Ray's correspondences 

 with his learned and ingenious friends. And although 

 there may probably be now and then a few passages of 

 lesser consideration that might have been omitted, and a 

 letter or two that might have been shortened (as it was 

 my mind to have done had I had health and time), yet I 

 hope the reader will find so entertaining and profitable a 

 variety of curious learning, as wiU sufiiciently compensate 

 for defects, and cause him to think that neither I have 

 cast away my time and pains, nor he his cost. 



Besides these, there were letters of other learned men 

 at home and abroad, particularly divers from Dr. Hotton, 

 the learned botanic professor of Ley den. But the Doctor's 

 relations (soon after his death, which was not long after 

 Mr. Ray's) strictly forbad the pubhcation of any of 



