3 jo Mr. Ray of the Number of Plants. 



The fecond Queftion is, Whether there have been^ 

 or may be r any Species loft or deftroyed? To which I 

 Anfwer, i . That though it is abfolutely, and phyfi- 

 cally poffible, yet it is highly improbable, that any 

 Species fliould be loft. 2. Though fome Species 

 fhould be deftroyed, yet it is impoffible morally that 

 any Man fhould be fure thereof. Firft I fay that it is 

 highly improbable, becaufe that I can hardly pe^uade 

 my felf that there is any one local Species of Plants in 

 the World > I mean fo proper and peculiar to one 

 individual Place as not to be found elfewhere. I am 

 induced fo to think, becaufe I have not obferved in 

 England anyone Plant fo proper to one Place, but 

 that I have found the fame either beyond Sea, or at 

 leaft in feveral Places of this Ifland ; and I doubt not 

 but whatever grows naturally here may be found in 

 divers Places of the fame Latitude, or Temper, be- 

 yond the Seas. I am not ignorant that Herbarifts 

 make fundry Plants proper and particular to fome one 

 Place. As for Example, the Balfam to Jud^a y &c. 

 But from thete X mult crave leave to diflent, till they 

 have more than a negative Argument to prove what 

 they affirm. Yet fuppofing there be fuch local Plants 

 (unlets you place them in Wands that fhali be whol- 

 ly overwhelmed and fwallowed up by the Sea) though 

 they were at prefent utterly extirpated by the Hand 

 of Man , or any Accident , yet the Seed, or at leaft 

 feminal Tinctures remaining in their original and na- 

 tive Soil, when the prelent obftru&ion is remo- 

 ved, the Earth will be apt to put forth the fame 

 plant again 5 fo that if Balfam were at firft native of 

 Judaa^ and not imported from abroad, though it 

 were all tranflated into Egypt ^ or elfewhere, I am 

 perfuaded the natural Earth would have again produ- 

 ced it, unlefs the Temper of it were much altered by 

 fome accidental or fupernatural Caufe, Secondly, tho' 

 fome Species ftiouid be deftroyed, it is morally impof- 

 fible that any Man Ihould be fure thereof. For firft, 



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