296 CHAPTER 50, 
an individaal could extend, to fuflain and 
promote this fcience, not only with his 
own countrymen, but with thofe learn- 
ed foreigners who vifited this kingdom. 
Whilft, therefore, juflice to his charailer 
and attainments, in the fubjedt of this 
work, demand confideration, I feel an addi- 
tional motive to pay a tribute to his me- 
mory, ariiing from a grateful remembrance 
of the friendiliip and correfpondence with 
which he honoured me. 
Sir William \N AT ^QN was born in 171 c, 
in St. Johns Street, near Smithjield. His fa- 
ther was a reputable tradefman in that ftreet, 
and died, leaving him very young. When 
he had attained to a proper age, he was 
fent to Merchant Taylor's School ^ and from 
thence w^as apprenticed to Mr. Richardfotiy 
apothecary, in 1730. 
In his youth he had a ftrong propenfity 
to the ftudy of natural hiftory, and parti- 
cularly to that of plants. This led him to 
make frequent excurfions in a m.orning, fe- 
veral miles from London fo that he became 
early well acquainted with the Loci natales 
of the indigenous plants of the environs of 
London 4 
