Method. 323 
neverthelefs^ lay dormant for near a cen- 
tury ; and the glory of reviving^ and im- 
proving it, Vv^as referved for Britain, 
Ray, arid Morison, both laboured in it 
at the fame time y and with them muft 
commence the sera of fyftematic botany ia 
England. It was an objed: thought worth 
contending for, and each of thefe writers 
had their partizans, who refpedtively be- 
ftowea the laurel, as they were led by their 
various motives, or attachments. I fhall 
not enter into the merits of their claims, 
further than vo obierve, that both feem to 
have turned their attention to the fubjedl, 
nearly about the fame time, and tiiat Mr. 
Ray had certainly priority in point of 
publication, if it may be allowed, that the 
tables which he drew up for Bifhop Wil- 
Kii^s's " Real or Univerfal Charadler," 
which was pubUfhed in 1668, contain the 
outlines of a fyftem. And, certainly, thefe 
rudiments, though haftily done, as Mr. Ray 
confeffes, fafficiently prove that he ha.d be- 
flowed no fmall attention on the fubjed:. 
That foreign writers have more commonjy 
attributed to Morison the revival of me^ 
Y 2 thod. 
