BY DR. DERHAM. 



51 



that it was customary among the printers to say what 

 \ they thought would be for their interest in such cases. 



This book was much approved of among foreigners, 

 and Mr. Ray's method was much taught by some of the 

 most eminent professors abroad, particularly Dr. Hotton 

 himself, as he tells Mr. Ray in some of his letters ; as in 

 one of July the 3d, 1703 : "In docendo, tua methodo 

 utor, quod magno cedit emolumento rei herbarise studi- 

 osis." And, in another of April the 18th, 1704 : " Mag- 

 nopere laudant methodum tuam amici, ad quos miseram, 

 omnes. Inter eos Senator Venetus D. Martinelli, incon- 

 cussum pronunciat tuam Doctrinam : La Doctrine 

 (utor ejus Verbis) du grand Raius est inebranlable. 

 Orbi dudum id perspectum, nihil a te proficisci posse, 

 quod non sit elaboratum optime, omnibusque numeris 

 absolutum."* 



Mr. Ray was a man of excellent natural parts, and had 

 a singular vivacity in his style, whether he wrote in 

 English or Latin, which was equally easy to him ; all 

 which (notwithstanding his great age, and the debility 

 and infirmities of his body) he retained, even to his dying 

 day ; of which he gave good proof in some of his letters, 

 written manifestly with a dying hand.f 



In a word, in his dealings, no man more strictly just ; 

 in his conversation, no man more humble, courteous, 

 and affable ; towards God, no man more devout ; and 

 towards the poor and distressed, no man more compas- 

 sionate and charitable, according to his abilities. 



He died at Black Notley (in a house of his own build- 

 ing!) January the 17th, 1704-5, and was buried (according 

 to his own desire) in the church of that parish, where a 



* Here the MS. of the life of Mr. Ray ends, but on a sheet of paper 

 containing some farther observations on the same subject, I find also what 

 follows, in Dr. Derham's own hand-writing. — G. S. 



f See Letters, where we find the last letter Mr. Ray attempted to 

 write; but in the postscript, " his strength failing him, he was forced to break 

 off abruptly."— G. S. 



% Now called " Dewlands," and in the possession of J. H. Pattison, esq.,B.A., 

 of Witham House, Witham, Essex. 



