CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 441 



store, which you have with so much pains and cost 

 amassed. You may with more alacrity and satisfaction 

 prosecute such an undertaking, or might indeed have 

 composed a history of plants, whose profession leads you 

 thereto, than I, without the verge of whose calhng it lies, 

 and who can scarce find arguments sufficient to satisfy 

 myself, and justify my proceedings. Your, and other of 

 my friends' opinions and arguments do so much weigh 

 and prevail with me, as to induce me to think more 

 favorably of what I have done, and not altogether con- 

 demn my studies. I could do no less than return these 

 few lines in answer to your elaborate letter, to which I 

 shall only add that I am. 



Sir, 



Your very humble servant, 



John Ray. 



Mr. Ray to Dr. Hans Sloane. 



Black Notley, March 5, 1704. 



Sir, — Yours of April 1st I received, whereby I under- 

 stood that the box of plants found not its way to you, at 

 which I was not a little troubled ; whereupon I sent to 

 the carrier's to inquire after it. They told the messenger 

 the box was not at Braintree, but was sent up to London 

 Wednesday before. The carrier laid the fault on his 

 porter, but promised, at his next going up, to take care 

 of it himself, as I hope he wih, else he must be account- 

 able for it. I must now, to do Sir -Thomas Milhngton 

 right, acknowledge a mistake of mine in the description 

 of his antiscorbutic receipt, for he did not say that all the 

 ingredients were to be boiled in the wort, but the dock 



