For if her conduct, in some steps betray'd,
To virtue's rule too little reverence paid,
Yet, dying, still she show'd, so dear her fame,
She could survive her guilt, but not her shame :
Her honour dearer than her life she prov'd,
And dearer far than both, the man she lov'd.

SIR CHARLES HANBURY WILLIAMS

ΤΟ

SIR HANS SLOANE,*

WHO SAVED HIS LIFE, AND DESIRED HIM TO SEND OVER ALL THE RARITIES HE COULD FIND IN HIS TRAVELS.

SINCE you, dear Doctor, sav'd my life,
To bless by turns, and plague, my wife;

*Sir Hans Sloane was a native of the county of Down, and was born 1660; he had his medical education in France, under Tournefort and De Verncy; at 24 years of age he was immediately admitted a member of the Royal Society, and was introduced at the recommendation of Drs. Lyster and the great Sydenham; the latter took him into his house, and became his declared patron; he had great prospects of success in the metropolis, but his ardour for the pursuits of natural history and botany, induced him to accept the post of Physician to the Duke of Albemarle, Governor of Jamaica; on the Duke's death, he had made

In conscience, I'm obliged to do
Whatever is enjoin'd by you.

such diligent use of his time, that in 15 months he brought back with him a rich treasure of subjects in the different kingdoms of nature, amongst which were 800 species of plants; he speedily rose to excellence; in 1693, he was elected Secretary to the Royal Society, and Physician to Christ's Hospital; in 1695 he married the daughter of Alderman Langley, by whom he had three daughters and a son; the two daughters that survived, were married into eminent English families, the eldest to the father of the late Earl of Cadogan: his great work was, the Natural History of Jamaica; in 1708 he was elected member of the French Academy of Sciences; Queen Anne frequently consulted him, and George I. made him Physician-General to the Army, and created him a Baronet, and the College of Physicians elected him their President; on the death of the great Newton, the Royal Society elected him successor; on the accession of George II. he was made that King's Physician; he purchased the Manor of Chelsea, and formed the Botanical Garden there, and made a free gift of the feesimple of it to the Company of Apothecaries; at the age of 80 he retired from his profession, and lived with great comfort and respect for 12 years after; he bequeathed all his vast collections of natural history, gems, MSS. books, &c. to the public, on the condition of Parliament paying £.20,000 for them, a sum said not to be more than the intrinsic value of the precious metals only: they now form the most curious part of the British Museum.-Ob. 1752.

According, then, to your command,
That I should search the western land
For curious things of ev'ry kind,

And send you all that I should find;
I've ravag'd air, earth, seas, and caverns,

Men, women, children, towns, and taverns;
And greater rarities can show,

Than Gresham's children ever knew:
Which carrier Dick shall bring you down,
Next time his waggon comes to town.

First, I've three drops of that same shower, Which Jove in Danaë's lap did pour;

From Carthage brought, the sword I'll send
Which brought Queen Dido to her end.
The stone whereby Goliath died,
Which cures the head-ache, well apply'd;
The snake-skin, which, you may believe,
The devil cast who tempted Eve.

A fig-leaf apron; it's the same

That Adam wore to hide his shame,

But now wants darning; I've beside
The blow by which poor Abel died.
A whetstone, worn exceeding small,
Time us'd to whet his scythe withal;
The pigeon stuff'd, which Noah sent
To tell him when the waters went.
A ring I've got of Samson's hair,
The same which Dalilah did wear;
Saint Dunstan's tongs, which story shows
Did pinch the devil by the nose.

The very shaft, as all may see,

Which Cupid shot at Antony;
And, which above the rest I prize,
A glance of Cleopatra's eyes;

Some strains of eloquence which hung,
In Roman times, on Tully's tongue;
Which, long conceal'd and lost had lain,
Till
found them out again.

Then I've, most curious to be seen,
A Scorpion's bite, to cure the spleen;
A goad, that rightly us'd, will prove
A certain remedy to love.