Mr. Ray to Sir Hans Sloane. 17 j 



Students in the reading and comparing other Herba- 

 rifts, by corre&ing Miftakes, and illuftrating what is 

 obfeure, and extricating what isperplex'd and entang- 

 led, and in cutting off what is fuperfluous, or under 

 different Titles repeated for diftinft. 3 . To alleviate 

 the Charge of fuch as are not able to purchafe many 

 Books. To which End, I endeavour an Enumera- 

 tion of all the Specids already defcrib'd and publifhed. 

 4. To facilitate the Learning of Plants, if need be, 

 without a Guide or Demonftrator, by fo methodiz- 

 ing of them, and giving fuch certain and obvious 

 Chara&eriftick Notes of the Genera, that it fhall not 

 be difficult for any Man, who (hall but attend to them 

 and the Defcription, to find out infallibly any Plant 

 that fhall be offered to him, efpecially being affifted 

 by the Figure of it. And, laftly, becaufe no Man of 

 our Nation hath lately attempted fuch a Works and 

 thofe that formerly did, excepting Dr. burner, were 

 not fufficiently qualified for fuch an Undertaking, and 

 fo have acquitted themfelves accordingly. 



I wifli I had Affurance from Eye-witnefles of Cre- 

 dit, that thofe Sorts of Linen you mention are made 

 of Nettle-Stalks. I have heard and read the like of 

 Scotch Cloth, but dare not give Credence to it, be- 

 caufe I find not that Dr. Sibbalds, in his Prodromus^ 

 makes any Mention of it 5 and am loath to put in any 

 thing on uncertain Rumour. 



Sir Hans Sloane to Mr. Rafslaft Letter. 



S I Rj London, March 7. 168*. 



FO R the Polypodium Plumofum, 1 can tell you but 

 very little of it, except that it had its Name 

 trom its Leaves being like Feathers. Its Place of 

 Growth, and other Things relating to its Hiftory, 



cm 



