176 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The Synopsis about which Dale enquired is in the Sloane
manuscripts (2970-79). It is entitled "Methodus nova stirpium
Britannicarum" and is in twelve volumes bound in two parts.
The fungi are "Genus primum seu infimum." No Essex
localities are given; the nearest place mentioned is a wood
between the "boarded river" and Hornsey.
A further volume (2980) gives the dedication to the Bishop
of Carlisle and various eminent living botanists. "Perhaps ye
overzealous ffriends of Mr. Ray may think me too forward
and yt I have trampled upon his heels too soon by pulling to
pieces his accurate & nice Method of plants so lately come into
ye world but I think such fully answered (if not satisfied) when
they shall find yt tho I have broke thro some of ye rules &
niceties of his Method it was in pursuit & strictly following his
main end & best Rule viz. to bring together into families as far
as may be ye stragling & ill-favoured kindred." He has several
attempts at a title, one being "Hortus siccus Buddleanus
being a Compleat Collection of plants natives of Great Brittain
& Ireland Methodized anew." The first draft of the Flora is
also in the Sloane manuscripts (2201), with remarks as "I have
seen this," "I do not know it," "I think I know this."19
Volume 2972 also contains the manuscript of the botanical
part of his funeral sermon on Samuel Doody:—" Nor could the
multiplicity of ye lowest tribe of plants ye very Mushromes
& ye short time of their existence wch so long kept ym unknown,
keep ym any longer from his notice and nice observations."
Among the many botanical works of this period I have
not been able to find references to Essex fungi except the
following20:—
John Blackstone in his Specimen Botanicum 1746, which
is really an edition of Ray's Synopsis, describes a few fungi;
one of these is given as from Essex, but it was not a new record.
Fungus campaniformis, niger, parvus, multa semina plana
in se continens. Merr. Pin. 41. Fungi calyciformes seminiferi.
19 In Buddie's introductory paragraphs he says:—"I have often observed a fine dust like
a vapour arise from y first touch or breaking of y Fungi Pezicae dicti. An hoc sit semen."
"The Mushromes having all their proper seasons of flourishing & shewing y selvs & their exact
form (wch in most of y is very curious) most plainly convince y strict inquirers into nature,
they are things of chance but of divine workmanship & appointment." He ends his treatment
of fungi thus: "All sorts of mouldiness I think to be abortive vegetations of Fungi or sometimes
Musci."
20 Peter Kalm visited Epping on March 7th, 1746: as would be expected from the date he
makes no mention of fungi.