282 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



seen amongst the sea weeds at Lliyn, in Caernarvonshire, 

 and also in the Severn sea, in Monmouthshire. It was 

 my suspicion that the infectious exhalation of these 

 dead locusts might kindle, &c. ; for Pliny tells us that 

 even whilst they live, multa contactu adurmit. There has 

 been, and still continues, a great mortality of cattle, 

 horses, sheep, and hogs, about the place where the fire 

 happened. Some say cattle were wont to die there for- 

 merly, others only that it was no good thriving or feeding- 

 place for them ; but all agree in that it never was infec- 

 tious anything comparably to what has happened this 

 year. These locusts, it seems, came also last year into 

 Germany ; and Job Ludolphus (as you find by the 

 inclosed) designs a particular treatise of them, wherein he 

 will maintain that the quails, wherewith the children of 

 Israel were fed in the wilderness, were no other than 

 these creatures. 



Oxford, May 27, 1694. 



Mr. Pascilill to Mr. Ray. 



Sir, — I lately received from a worthy friend in Oxford, 

 in an eminent station there, proposals for a method of 

 providing for the widows and children of poor clergymen, 

 which took so in one county, that in a short time, by the 

 voluntary subscriptions of clergymen, there was raised 

 near £100 per annum for five years as an essay, with 

 expectation of much more there. When a trial was made 

 .here to see how it would take in the country, there was 

 a beginning made with great alacrity ; and when it was 

 recommended to our bishop, and the dean and resi- 

 dentiaries present in Wells, it received encouragement 

 there from every one of them ; and Dr. Jurden, your 

 neighbour, writes me word that he will advise with the 

 Bishop of London, and the archdeacons, and chief of 

 the cler<>v in Essex about it : wishino; his endeavours mav 



