The Young-students-library containing extracts and abridgments of the most valuable books printed in England, and in the forreign journals, from the year sixty five, to this time : to which is added a new essay upon all sorts of learning ... / by the Athenian Society ; also, a large alphabetical table, comprehending the contents of this volume, and of all the Athenian Mercuries and supplements, etc., printed in the year 1691.

Historia Plantarum, &c. Or, Ray's History of Plants, Tom. 1st. London 1686.

SInce Baubin published his History of Plants, and Parkinson his Botanick Theater, a great Number of Plants have been discoved, that appeared not in their Collection. Several Authors have de∣scribed many that were unknown to the Botanists that liv'd before them: But no one yet has ever gathered them together in one Piece like our present Author. who has also used much more Method than has yet been observed on the same Subject.

He divides Plants into Genders and Kinds, and gives an account of those that resemble them in their principal parts, as in their Flower, Seed, and Films, which cover them.

He thinks this Method is the most Na∣tural and easie to attain in a little time to the knowledg of Botanicks; and doubts not but any one that will apply himself to this study, may without the help of a Master by following these Rules to accomplish it, and be well acquainted with Plants. If any Plant shou'd be found which comes not under these

Rules which are ordinarly known, there's no more to be done than to compare it with these General Distinctions which are given to priecipal Genders, which it is necessary to learn by heart. He imme∣diately tells us to what Gender it be∣longs, and descending to the Species not contained in this Gender, he examins to what other it does belong, by these Essential marks whereby these Species are distinguisht, and thus, in fine, the Species of Plants which they contain may be discovered by this particular descrip∣tion. But if it's plain that none of these descriptions agree, that then this was left out of the Collections which former Botanists have hitherto made.

'Tis not that our Author believes that he hath found out a Method so very just and exact that there ar•• not Plants which are not reducible to the Kinds and Spe∣cies observed in this Work; the prodigious variety of Nature and the inexhaustible Riches which it prostrates to our Eyes, can't be comprehended in certain Li∣mits. There are almost infinite Com∣binations betwixt the divers proprieties of Plants which necessarily constitute Anomolies and Exceptions from those Rules which are given to distinguish the different sorts; the Form of the Seed and the Film which covers it is not so certain an Index as is believed, to distinguish Plants, since some which are centainly of the same Species are different enough in that, as appears by many Examples which Mr. Ray produces; there's a kind of Cummin whose Seed is hairy, altho' in other things 'tis like other Cummin Seeds.

At the beginning of the Book there's a General Table, where our Author has briefly observed the differences by which he has distinguished the Plants into divers kinds and Species, which its necessary to know, in order to discover the Plants whose description one wou'd learn. This Volume contains XVIII Books, whereof the last treats de herbis flore papi∣lionaceo, sive leg uminosis. In comparing this Title with the Table which we have spoke of, we may conjecture the first Tomb contains above half of the Work.

As to what regards the matter, one may Judge by the Title, which we have no need to repeat here; we shall only remark that there are several very exact Descriptions of Plants which are parti∣cular to the Britanick Islands which foraign Botanists have not discover'd: What is chiefly wanting, is the Figures of Plants, which 'tis not always easie to remember by a bare description of 'em. Figures in Wood are commonly too gross, altho' there are some pretty good in the An∣cient Botanists, as Mathiolus of Venice; and these in Copper Cuts cost too much; this is the cause that there were no Figures in this Edition. But the Booksellers, who are at the Expences of what is done, promise to add 'em very quickly, and to publish every Classis of Plants in their Order, provided they can do it by way of Subscription.

'Tis not amiss to Advertise you, that the Method according to which Mr. Ray has disposed Plants is in 80 Intituled Methodus Plantarum nova brevitatis & perspicuitatis causa Synopticè in Tabulis exhi∣bita, cum Notis Generum tum Summorum tum Subalternorum Characteristicis Obser∣vationibus nonnullis de seminibus Planta∣rum & Indice copioso. Authore I-Raio, &c. Amst. apud Waesbergios, 1681.

There's also a Second Edition of an∣other Book of the same Author touching this matter. The Title of it is, Cata∣logus Plantarum Angliae, & Insularum ad∣jacentium, tum indigenas tum in Agris passim cultas complectens. In quo praeter Synonyma necessaria, facultates quoque sum∣matim traduntur, una cum observationibus & experimentis novis medicis & Physicis. Editio secunda, Plantis circiter quadraginta sex & observationibus aliquam multis auctior, Oper. J. Raij Londoni.

Besides that this Edition is more cor∣rect than the former, there are added Three Hundred Plants and Sixteen sorts of Fungus which were omitted thro' mi∣stake or oversight. He has put the Re∣marks which were at the end, every one in his own place, and has added some∣thing new in many places. Besides, there are two Figures in this Edition where were not in the other, one is, Fun∣gus Phaloides, and the other Pentaphylloi∣des Fructicosum. Such as wou'd know what Plants are added may find 'em in the Leaf following the Title Page, where al∣so is another Index at the end, of the Ver∣tues of Plants, and of the Distempers which they remedy.

FINIS.