CHAPTER 20. 
In a letter, written in the fpring of 1702, 
lie informs Mr. Derham that he had not 
been half a mile from his own houfe for 
four years. Yet, under thefe circumftances, 
he wrote his fupplemental volume to his 
Hiftory of Plants," which, he fays, had 
cngrofled almolt his whole time for two 
years. 
We have now brought Mr. Ray's bo- 
tanical works to a conclufion ; but his la- 
bours did not ceafe here. His adtive and 
indefatigable mind prompted him, at the 
age of feventy-five, to begin a work on 
fe^s ; to which he had been encouraged by 
Dr. Derham ; and for which he had been 
accumulating materials during many years. 
This was intended to comprehend only the 
Englijh fpecies ; although, at the fame time, 
his friends were wifhing to engage him to 
defcribe the exotics of the Londoft Mufea^ 
which were then beginning to abound in 
thefe fubjefts. 
He had paid fome attention to the hif- 
tory of Spiders y indeed, many years be- 
fore, when intimately connected with Dr. 
LlSTER| 
