FRANCIS WILLUGHBY. 
73 
lers were unable to make the grand tour, but took 
the direction of the Low Countries, and proceeded 
through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, reaching 
as far as Sicily and Malta. The immense variety 
of topics on which they bestowed examination, 
“ natural, topographical, moral, physiological, 
politics, literature, mechanics, antiquities, and 
other curiosities,” renders it impossible to give 
any idea of their vigilance and activity.* A 
catalogue of the plants which they discovered is 
added to the volume, and is a proof of their 
amazing industry in their botanical researches. 
In this expedition, Mr Ray is said to have 
observed many plants in Switzerland, which, in 
the judgment of Haller, were not known even to 
the natives of that country. At Montpelier they 
separated, Mr Ray, Mr Skippon, and Mr Bacon, 
returning to England, and Mr Willughby, accom- 
panied by a merchant, beginning his travels in 
Spain, August 31, 1664. Mr Willughby’s diary, 
after their departure, of what he saw in Spain, 
is characterized by the same multi-variety of 
subjects. It is an admirable specimen of minute 
observation upon every thing that presented itself 
to his notice. He also wrote to Mr Ray, giving 
him an account of the principal things he had 
seen since they parted. To the great regret of 
the travellers, all the papers belonging to Mr 
Willughby and Mr Ray, in which they bad very 
accurately described all the birds, fishes, &c. 
Title page to “ the Travels,” & c. 
