132 
MEMOIR OF 
distance of some years after the death of Mr 
Willughby, an attempt was made to set aside the 
will of a Lady Glanville, on the ground of lunacy, 
because she had shewn a strong partiality for 
insects; and Mr Ray had to. appear on the day 
of trial, to bear testimony to her sanity!* Nor 
were there those inducements of an honorary 
description then, as now ; the Royal Society had 
not even existed as such, till some years after Mr 
Willughby had addicted himself to bis favourite 
studies. 
Another excellence of character which he exhi- 
bited in the highest perfection, was his due esti- 
mate of birth, fortune, and talent, — “ not con- 
tenting himself therewith, or valuing himself on 
them, but labouring after what might render him 
more deservedly honourable and more truly to be 
called his own, as being obtained by the concur- 
rence at least of his own endeavours.” With 
respect to birth, — a distinction which, like some 
others, is despised chiefly by those who do not 
possess it, — if- it be a fact, that the consciousness 
in an individual of being able to trace distinctly 
his origin through a long succession of persons 
chiefly distinguished by the rewards of merit, 
or the due performance of those duties which the 
inferior grades of society expect from privileged 
station, is really a motive felt by him who fotjms 
the existing member in the series of illustrious 
descent, inclining him to avoid whatever is 
mean in conduct, and to pursue whatever is 
* Life of Ray in the Naturalist’s Library. 
