12 



MEMORIALS OF RAY 



in the universal history of nature and the works of God ; 

 or, in few words, as I find it mentioned in Mr. Ray's 

 sermon, J. N. operum Dei admirator, probitatis studiosus; 

 which, as it was exactly agreeable to Mr. Nid's practice, 

 so seems to have been a motto Mr. Nid had pitched 

 upon, it being written by himself in one of his books. 

 From this character of Mr. Nid, it is easy to judge what 

 the cause was of that great intimacy and friendship that 

 was between Mr. Ray and him, viz. the agreement of 

 their genius and' studies, and the exact conformity of their 

 humours and manners. 



During this intimacy with Mr. Nid, Mr. Ray wrote 

 his ' Catalogue of Cambridge Plants,' which he saith 

 Mr. Nid had a great hand in, and lived to see almost 

 perfected; which piece was published in 1660, and was 

 of singular use in promoting the study of botany, a 

 branch of learning much neglected at that time, not only 

 in Cambridge, but in most other parts of the kingdom. 

 But after this book was published, (as Mr. 'Ray himself 

 told me, than whom no man ever spoke with greater 

 modesty of himself or his performances,) " many were 

 prompted to those studies, and to mind the plants they 

 met with in their walks in the fields." 



This book meeting with a kind reception among the 

 learned and curious, encouraged Mr. Ray the farther 

 to proceed in these studies and observations. And not 

 content with what he met with about Cambridge, he 

 extended his pursuits throughout the greatest part of 

 England and Wales, and part of Scotland ; in which he 

 had commonly the company of several curious gentlemen, 

 particularly Mr. Willughby, his pupil Mr. Skippon,* (af- 

 terwards Sir Philip,) and Mr. Peter Courthorpe. 



Of these journeys he left accounts behind him, a great 

 part of which are here published. 



The first of these journeys was from August 9th to 



* Skippon, Sir Philip, was the author of ' Salve for every Sore ; a book of 

 promises out of the book of God,' London, 8vo, 1643 ; ' The Christian Cen- 

 turion's Advices and Resolutions,' London, 8vo, 1645 ; and other religious 

 works. 



