66 
MEMOIR OF RAY. 
temporaries, pursued in the rigorous spirit of the in- 
ductive philosophy, soon dissipated these delusions, 
by bringing every thing to the test of strict obser- 
vation. One of the first fruits of this auspicious 
change, was the triumphant refutation of the doc- 
trine of equivocal or spontaneous generation, which 
had maintained its place among the unquestioned 
credenda of the schools from the time of Aristotle, 
and the full establishment of the Harveian doctrine, 
omnia ex ovo. Sound principles of classification 
were likewise adopted, and improvements equally im- 
portant introduced into every department of natural 
science, forming a broad and stable foundation for the 
stately superstructure which has since been reared. 
How much Ray’s individual exertions contributed 
to this effect, will in some measure appear from the 
brief view that has been given of his life and writ- 
ings. He enjoyed the advantage of devoting the 
greater part of his life without interruption to th$ 
studies that he loved so well; and this circumstance, 
joined to his indefatigable industry and activity, 
enabled him to accomplish more than most other 
authors. There is scarcely any department of na- 
tural history which did not receive illustration from 
his pen ; he greatly extended the boundaries of 
many of them, and the systematic study of some 
may almost be said to have originated with him. 
His mind was equally fitted for the minute and labo- 
rious investigation of objects, and that nice percep- 
tion of their remote and general relations which can 
