7^^ Life o/ Mr. RAY. ii 
During this Intimacy with Mr. 
Nidf Mr. Ray wrote his Catalogue 
of Cambridge Plants^ which he faith 
Mr. Nid had a great Hand in, and 
lived to fee almofl: perfedled.. Which 
Piece was publifhed in 1660, and 
was of lingular Ufe, in promoting 
the Study of Botany; a Branch of 
Learning much negledted at that 
Time, not only in Cambridge^ but 
in mofl; other Parts of the Kingdorh. 
But after this Book was publifhed (as 
Mr. Ray himlelf told me, than whom 
no Man ever fpoke with greater Mo- 
delly of himfelf, or his Performances) 
many were prompted to thofe Studies.^ 
and to mind the Plants they met with 
in their TV alks in the Fields. 
This Book meeting with a kind 
Reception among the Learned and 
Curious, encouraged Mr. Ray the far- 
ther to proceed in thefe Studies and 
Obferva-. 
