CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 439 



Mr. Eay to [Mr. Petivek ?]. 



Sir, — I received yours without date on Sunday last 

 by post, and the evening before a parcel inclosing some 

 letters, and the book you mention, which I read over, and 

 found some very good observations and experiments 

 concerning the male seed and generation of plants. You 

 being in haste to have it returned, I shall send it next 

 week if the carrier go, and may then send my papers to 

 Mr. Mott, with punctual directions where to insert the 

 particulars. You do very well to continue correspondence 

 with Father Camelli, who is a very industrious and 

 ingenious person ; but I am sore afraid that the wars will 

 interrupt your epistolary commerce. He deserves to be 

 by all means obHged, being made, as I may say, for the 

 advancing of natural knowledge. 



The dried plants you were pleased to send me I had 

 before now finished the perusal of and sent back, had not 

 the weather fell out so sharp, and my pains so great as 

 in a great measure to disable me ; however, God willing, 

 you shall have them within three weeks at furthest, and 

 then I desire you would send your Chusan plants, for I 

 would fain compare them with those Dr. Sloane sent me, 

 which are without names. The rest of the plants you 

 signify your intention to send me, though I should be 

 glad to see, yet because they will come too late for me 

 to take any notes of to use in this work, you may please 

 to respite the sending of at present ; only I desire you 

 would draw up such an index as you mention of them, 

 that the book may not quite want them. There are some 

 other particulars which I should have returned answer to, 

 but I want time at present, the messenger being hi haste. 

 I thank you for your kind expressions of affection, and 

 am, reciprocally, 



Sir, 

 Yours in all offices of love and service, 



John Ray. 



Black Notley, Dec. 22, 1703. 



