Sir Hans Sloane. BORN A. D. 1660.-DIED A.D. 1753. THIS eminent physician, the founder of the British museum, was a native of Ireland, and was born on the 16th of April, 1660. From his early youth he evinced a strong inclination to the study of the works of nature. Having embraced the medical profession, he came to Eng land to prosecute his favourite science of botany, in the Apothecaries' garden at Chelsea; and here he became acquainted with the celebrated John Ray and the Hon. Mr Boyle. Having availed himself of all the advantages which London afforded, he thought fit to travel into foreign countries, and, upon his return, resolved to fix himself in London for the exercise of his profession. He soon became acquainted with the principal members of the Royal society, and was elected fellow in 1685. He sailed with the duke of Albemarle, for the island of Jamaica, in 1687, and returned to England in July, 1689. He was subsequently appointed physician to Christ's hospital, and though he constantly received the salary, he immediately returned it for the use of the hospital. He married, in 1695, Elizabeth, one of the daughters of John Langley, Esq., citizen and alderman of London. The year following he published his first work,- A Catalogue of the native Plants of Jamaica.' A museum, which he had for several years been forming, was, in the year 1701, greatly enlarged by the accession of that of his friend, William Courteen, Esq., who had spent the greatest part of his time and fortune in forming his collections, and which, at his death, he left to Dr Sloane. Having discharged the office of secretary of the Royal society for twenty years without any salary, he resigned it in 1713; and, on the death of Sir Isaac Newton in 1727, the high and honourable office of president of the society was conferred on him. In the last illness of Queen Anne, he was called in to her assistance, and after the accession of King George the First to the throne, he was created a baronet, being, it is said, the first physician upon whom that rank was bestowed. Upon purchasing the manor of Chelsea, he gave the ground of the garden to the Apothecaries' company, appointing an annual rent of fifty plants from it to be presented to the Royal society. The establishment of this garden was, indeed, as it well deserved to be, a peculiar object of his care and attention, having been of great advantage to the public, by assisting and encouraging the study of botany in this country. In order to perpetuate these benefits, he stipulated that it should for ever remain a botanic garden. The severe winter of 1739 had nearly proved fatal to Sir Hans Sloane: he recovered, but determined to retire from his profession, and to spend the remainder of his life upon his estate at Chelsea. He began in February, of the year 1742, to remove his library and museum from his house at Bloomsbury to that at Chelsea; but his retirement from London did not prevent him from being constantly visited by all persons of distinction, and sometimes by the royal family. At upwards |