CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 433 



bis, and I hope you will not deny the hke of yours. My 

 design is, first to describe and figure our British insects 

 by themselves, tribe by tribe ; and then to each tribe to 

 add the exotics. I shall not pretend to write a perfect 

 history; for though I have described above 200Phala3nEe 

 of our own land, yet I doubt whether I have described a 

 third part of the natives thereof. The exotics are ten 

 times more numerous ; but there are but few of them in 

 comparison come over to us, with which I shall content 

 myself. I shall begin Avith the Papilionaceous tribe, not 

 because I intend that for the first, but because I have 

 taken most pains in it. I shall give you no further trouble 

 at present, resting. 



Sir, 

 Yours in all offices of love and service, 



John Ray. 



Black Notley, Aug. 25, 1703. 



Mr. Ray to [Mr. Petiveb, ?]. 



Sir, — You may justly wonder that having so lately 

 written to you I should now give you the trouble of 

 another letter. But I hope you will be satisfied of the 

 reason of my present writing when you shall have read 

 the following lines. 



I have lately received a letter from Mr. Smith, wherein 

 he tells me that Mr. Motte saith, he fears that he shall 

 stay for the Appendix to the Third Volume of Plants, and 

 that it will not be ready so soon as he shall have printed 

 oflp all the rest. This will be very unhappy indeed if it 

 should prove so, for the work hath been already retarded 

 too long, &c. It concerns us, as well for our credit as 

 interest, to get it out as soon as possible, so far he. 

 Wherefore I do now again press you with all earnestness 

 to expedite and get ready your additions as soon as may 

 be. I esteem them so very considerable that the work 

 must not want them, though the edition should be 



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