but the observations of my frequent road between South and North Wilts; that is, between Broad Chalke and Eston Piers.  If I had had then leisure, I would willingly have searched the naturalls of the whole county.  It is now fifteen yeares since I left this country, and have at this distance inserted such additions as I can call to mind, so that methinks this description is like a picture that Mr. Edm.  Bathurst, B.D. of Trinity Colledge, Oxon, drew of Dr. Kettle three [some] yeares after his death, by strength of memory only; he had so strong an idea of him:  and it did well resemble him.  I hope hereafter it will be an incitement to some ingeniouse and publique spirited young Wiltshire man to polish and compleat what I have here delivered rough-hewen; for I have not leisure to heighten my style.  And it may seem nauseous to some that I have rak’t up so many western vulgar proverbs, which I confess I do not disdeigne to quote,* for proverbs are drawn from the experience and observations of many ages; and are the ancient natural philosophy of the vulgar, preserved in old English in bad rhythmes, handed downe to us; and which I set here as “Instantiæ Crucis” for our curious moderne philosophers to examine and give {Gk:  dioti} to their {Gk:  hostis}.

* Plinie is not afraide to call them Oracles:  (Lib. xviii.  Nat.  Hist. cap. iv.) “Ac primum omnium oraculis majore ex parte agemus, qua non in alio vite genere plura certiorara sunt.”

But before I fly at the marke to make a description of this county, I will take the boldness to cancelleer, and give a generall description of what parts of England I have seen, as to the soiles :  which I call Chorographia Super and Sub-terranea (or thinke upon a more fitting name).

London, Gresham Coll., June 6M, 1685.

[The original of the following letter from John Ray to Aubrey is inserted immediately after the Preface, in the Ms. at Oxford.  It is not transcribed into the Royal Society’s copy of the work. -J.  B.]

For Mr. John Aubrey.

Sr,

Black Notley, 8br 27, -91.

Your letter of Octob. 22d giving advice of your safe return to London came to hand, wch as I congratulate with you, so have I observed your order in remitting your Wiltshire History, wch with this enclosed I hope you will receive this week.  I gave you my opinion concerning this work in my last, wch I am more confirmed in by a second perusal, and doe wish that you would speed it to ye presse.  It would be convenient to fill up ye blanks so far as you can; but I am afraid that will be a work of time, and retard the edition.  Whatever you conceive may give offence may by ye wording of it be so softned and sweetned as to take off ye edge of it, as pills are gilded to make them lesse ungratefull.  As for the soil or air altering the nature, and influencing the wits of men, if it be modestly delivered, no man will be offended at it, because it accrues not to them by their own fault:  and yet in such places as dull men’s wits there are some exceptions to be made.  You know the poet observes that Democritus was an example —