Dr. Prefton to Mr. Ray 309 



ml Principles of Method, and for conftituting the 

 Genders of Plants * and as Turnefort fays very welJ^ 

 Inftit: Rei Herbaria. Eaq^intenebrisadhucjaceretnifi 

 Robertus Morifonus Scotus earn qmfi ab herbariis abali- 

 enatum renovdjjet inftauraffet 6? primus ad ufus quoti- 

 dianos adjunxijfet. After him you have been the great 

 Reftorer of Method, and Ornament of Botany by 

 your feveral learned Writings, . Dr. Herman^ whofe 

 Memory is to be lamented, was a great Promoter 

 and Follower of the fame Method, and defigned to 

 publifh a fhort Compend of it for the Ufe of his 

 Scholars, if an untimely Death had not prevented 

 him, as may be feen in the Flora Batava non edita. 

 Rivinus has a lingular Method, and eftablifhes the 

 Chara&er from the Number of Petala in a Flowen 

 Laft of all is ( Tournefort^ who finding fo many learn- 

 ed Men had writ before him, and that he could not 

 propofe to make great Advances in following the fame 

 Method 3 therefore, to gain a Name to himfelf, be- 

 thought on this new Method, of claffing the Plants 

 by their Similitude in Flowers^ and diftinguilhing them 

 into feveral Genus's by their Seeds and Seed-l^ejjels^ 

 not knowing whether the Method would take or not : 

 But it is no more than the other Method inverted $ 

 and fince he has once publifhed it, he is obliged to 

 maintain and defend it whatever Inconfiftencies there 

 may be in it. Tournefort indeed is a moft indefati- 

 gable and nice Obferver of Nature \ but I do not 

 think that either his Method is to be accounted the 

 beft, or only infallible : For it may be made appear, 

 that his Method is as liable to Objections, and he as 

 fubjeft to Miltakes, as others. We are certainly o- 

 bliged to the Writings of thofe learned Men, and 

 every one of them defei veth juft Praifes ; but I think 

 it may be done without detra&ing from the Merit of 

 others. I confefs 1 judge it a very difficult Matter to 

 lay down fuch Principles of Method as will compre- 

 hend even the Species of Plants already known, and 



far 



