V 
Ray. 279 
with his age, and to bid a defiance to the 
encroachments of infirmity, and the prof- 
ped: of diffolution. I call to witnefs the 
magnitude of the attempt, and luccefsful 
iffue of his exertions, in writing the fupple- 
mental volume to his Hiftory of Plants," 
and in beginning the Hijioria InfeBorum " 
at fo late a period of his life. 
His fingular modefty, affability, and com- 
municative difpofition, fecured to him the 
efteem of all who knew him ; and his emi- 
nent talents as a naturalift and a philofo- 
pher procured him many patrons and friends, 
and preferved him from that obfcurity, 
which would otherwife probably have been 
his lot ; for, notwithftanding his learning 
and probity, as his principles did not accord 
with thofe of the times, they were adverfe 
to his fortune, and he gained no emoluments 
in the church. He had relinquiflied his 
fellowfhip at the commencement of the Bar-^ 
tholomew adt, not, as forne imagined, from 
his having taken the Solemn League and Co- 
venant (for that he never did, and often de- 
clared, that he ever thought it an unlawful 
oath), but becaufe he could not declare, 
T ^ agreeably 
