26 



MEMORIALS OF RAY 



The next year, viz., in the spring of 1671, Mr. Ray 

 was afflicted with a feverish disorder, which ended in the 

 yellow jaundice ; but he was soon cured of it, by an 

 infusion of stone-horse dung with saffron in ale.* 



AH the first months of this year (1671) he tried many 

 experiments about the bleeding of trees, till the warmer 

 spring months invited him oat to visit divers of his 

 friends and acquaintance. 



Returning from this journey to Middleton, and having 

 rested himself there about eight or nine days, he began 

 another simpling journey into the north, on July the 3d, 

 1671, taking Thomas Williself along with him. They 

 travelled through Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Westmoreland, 

 Cumberland, and Northumberland, as far as Berwick ; 

 and then back through the Bishopric of Durham, again 

 to Middleton. 



Mere (whicli is in the adjoining parish of Torton,) and being so near, would 

 doubtless visit the spot where these famous fir trees grew. In your ' Mora 

 of Shropshire,' you have inserted ' Borders of Aqualate Mere,' on the au- 

 thority of Withering as a locahty for Calamagrostis lanceolata. I know 

 Warton well, and the persons Hkely to give information respecting the fir 

 trees ; and I went there yesterday to inquire about them. There is no one 

 living who has any recollection of them. The oldest inhabitant of Sutton, 

 an adjacent village, who has always lived in the neighbourhood, does not 

 remember them. Mr. Derrington, who lives at the only farm-house now at 

 Warton, showed me the ' rismg ground' where he had heard his father say 

 the fir trees grew, close to the back of the house formerly occupied by 

 the Firchilds. The property was sold by a gentleman named Roe, who went 

 to America, to Sir T. F. F. Boughey, bart., of Aqualate, a few years ago, and 

 the house was puUed down this year. Mr. Derrington, who has lately sold 

 his farm to Sir T. B., now occupies the land which is in Staffordshire, in the 

 parish of Norbury. Warton derives its name, according to Plot, as quoted 

 by Pitt, p. 275, from some battle fought hereabouts by the Romans. The 

 ancient family of Skrymsher, formerly the possessor of Aqualate, &c., is now 

 extiuct. The last member of it died a spinster a few years since. The 

 Firchilds have left the neighbourhood. Mr. F. having sold his property at 

 Sutton to the late Sir John Boughey upwards of twenty years ago, went to 

 Birmingham. It seems to be generally known in the neighbourhood of 

 Warton that the ancestor of the Firchilds was found under one of the fir 

 trees, and hence derived the name of Fircliild. I am sorry I camiot ascer- 

 tain how long the fir trees grew after the time of Bay." 



* See Mr. Ray's letter to Dr. Lister, June 28th, 1671. 



f A person well skilled in botany, who was employed by, and was very 

 serviceable to Mr. Ray, ui collecting and sending liim the descriptions of 

 plants, &c., in journeys he took over England for that purpose. (See Letters.) 

 What opinion Mr. Ray had of Mr. WiUisel's judgment, may be seen in a 

 letter of Mr. Ray's to him. — G. S. 



