188 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



was hereunto encouraged by the unaccountable variety of 

 colours, forms of seeds and seed vessels, especially num- 

 ber, which I found the ConjuyatcB religiously to observe 

 in some plants to the very division of the pointel. Be- 

 sides the Galeatcs of sweet smell being mostwhat cardiac, 

 the Bcmidentes often cathartic, those of a lurid flower 

 poisonous, &c. ; farther, I did consider that the TzyyiKa, 

 or general terms of virtues, were not well ordered, but 

 often did interfere one Avith another ; and that if they 

 were reduced to a method truly natural, plants might be 

 accommodated to them more easily. These considera- 

 tions did some time encourage me to observe the analogy 

 of plants of the same kind, and their minute differences, 

 not without great pleasure and delight ; but when I found 

 Dr. Grew had hit upon the same notion, and laid his 

 inquuies much deeper than mine, viewing the internal as 

 well as external parts of plants, and yet could conclude 

 nothing, I quite desisted from farther search, despairing 

 to meet with what others with more diligence had not 

 found. 



Briguall, October 29, — 8G. 



Dr. Robinson to Mr. Ray. 



Sir, — The Willows will sometimes drop and run 

 prodigiously in dry and clear seasons at noon-day, as I 

 have been told by several of good credit. In the year 

 1685 the willows wept so fast at noon-day in the month 

 of March, near the neat-houses, that Dr. Plucknet pass- 

 ing on the road was extremely surprised, and almost wet 

 to the skin ; yet it had been no rain for many weeks 

 before, and the air and other trees were very dry at the 

 same time. I have heard this relation confirmed by other 

 persons that observed the same. Trees may now and then 

 be subject to bleedings, sweatings, catarrhs, and other 

 extravasations; yet this is no very strong argument, I 



