Dr. HANS SLOANE to Dr. RICHARDSON.

"SIR, London, May 16, 1702. « I give you very many thanks for your kind visit and conversation when you were here. I hope to be so happy as to have more of it some time or other, and in the mean time take liberty, on your leave, to write to you. I thank you for the designs you left for me with Mr. Buddle†; I shewed them to the Royal Society, who were extremely pleased with them, and very much admired the varieties in them. I told them whence I had them, and that I was in hopes I should some time or other shew them some of the originals. They hold themselves obliged to you for the pains you have taken in promoting Natural Learning, and I am sure would do any thing they can to serve you. Mr. Kirke

• This eminent Physician and Naturalist (afterwards Sir Hans Sloane) was admitted F. R. S. in 1655, at the early age of 25; and was enrolled of the College of Physicians in 1657; incorporated M. D. at Oxford 1701. In 1708, he was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris; a distinction of the highest estimation in Science; and the greater at that time, as the French Nation was at war with England, and the Queen's consent was necessary to the acceptance of it. He was frequently consulted by Queen Anne, who, in her last illness, was bled by him. On the Accession of George 1. he was created a Baronet; being the first English Physician on whom an hereditary title of honour bad been conferred. He was appointed Physician-General to the Army; which office he enjoyed till 1727, when he was made Physician to King George II. He gained the confidence of Queen Caroline, and prescribed for the Royal Family till his death. In 1719, Sir Hans was elected President of the College of Physicians, which station he held sixteen years, and during that time he gave signal proofs of his zeal for the interests of that body. On purchasing the manor of Chelsea, he gave the fee simple of the Botanical Garden to the Company of Apothecaries, on conditions. On the death of Sir Isaac Newton, in 1727, Sir Hans Sloane was advanced to the Presidency of the Royal Society of London, the interest of which no man had ever more uniformly promoted. He made the Society a present of 100 guineas, and a bust of the Founder, King Charles II. Thus, in the zenith of prosperity, he presided, at the same time, over the two most illustrious scientific bodies in this kingdom: and, while he discharged the respective duties of each station with credit and honour, he also enjoyed the most extensive and dignified employment as a Physician. He occupied these important stations from the year 1719 to 1733, when he resigned the Presidency of the College of Physicians; and, in 1740, at the age of fourscore, that of the Royal Society; having formed the resolution of withdrawing from the bustle of life into retirement at Chelsea. In 1741 he removed his Library and Muşeum; and, on the 12th of May, fixed at his new mansion, where, occasionally visited by his friends, and by all men of distinction from abroad, be passed in serenity, and in the constant exercise of benevolence, the last twelve years of his life, which terminated Jan. 11, 1752, O. S.--See an excellent epitome of the Life and Writings of Sir Hans Sloane, in Dr. Pulteney's "Botanical Sketches," vol. II. pp. 65-–96.

+ Rev. Adam Buddle, of Catherine Hall, Cambridge; B. A. 1681; M. A. 1685; Reader at Gray's Inn. He was an eminent Botanist; and had then recently had a living given him by Lord Keeper Wrighte.

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was present when I shewed your papers, and by his favour I know how to direct this. I shall be very glad to communicate any thing from hence to you may be acceptable, or, in short, to do any thing may be for your service. If at any time you please to write to me, direct to me near Bloomsbury Square. I am, without compliment, your most obedient and most humble servant, HANS SLOANE." London, June 20, 1702.

"SIR, "I received your very kind letter of the 16th yesterday, for which I return you my most hearty thanks. I have been out of town some days of late, with sick people, which has hinder'd my looking very nicely over the great and fine collection of Stone Mr. Buddle and I looked Plants you were pleased to send me. them in haste over together. I will desire very speedily the favour of you to give me some kind of description of the place and depth they are found in. I am extremely glad you tell me you intend to collect Natural Curiosities. I will endeavour to supply you with many things the distance you are at from the great places of commerce hinders you from being able to purchase. I shall not forget your great civilities, either that way or any other. Pray have you Dr. Tournefort's small pieces lately printed? or do you want any of the late Natural Historians? If you do, I may perhaps be able to serve you. Your case of the stones voided is very extraordinary. I shall be very glad to see the stones themselves. Some people breed sand and stones in their kidneys faster than they are generated any where else. I am very much your most obedient, &c. HANS SLOANE." "GOOD Doctor, London, Dec. 24, 1702.

"I hope you will pardon my long silence, and not returning you my thanks for your last present of Plants, with which I received a formed Stone of a singular shape. I beg your pardon for this neglect, which was not out of any disrespect, but a continual hurry of one thing or other. Mr. Petiver shewed me a good while since a letter of yours to him, wherein you gave him leave to grave your Rock Plants with his other natural things in his Decads, upon which I gave him your draughts, desiring him to take great care of them, and to see what of them yet have been taken notice of. I was very willing he should have them, because of his great industry and collections of the like nature, though I did design to have published them in the Transactions; but they may be again published or referred to from thence, for they are very fine and very curious. Dr. Tournefort is returned from his great voyage into Asia, and is now publishing his Voyage, wherein will be 200 plates of Plants. There is nothing new coming out in England or beyond the sea, that I know of, unless it be Strabo and Suetonius that are printing in Holland. I shall very soon set aside some duplicates of books and natural things for you; in the mean time believe me your most obedient and most humble servant, HANS SLOANE." "WORTHY

"WORTHY SIR, North Bierley, May 1, 1703. "I had long ago made answer to your last kind letter, if any thing had offered itself here worth your notice; but my searches into Natural History of late have been very inconsiderable; however, out of that small collection of Fossils I now have, I have sent you a little box: amongst the rest you will meet with a Stone not very unlikely representing the dried boughs of some tree in bas relief, which I take to be rare. This cannot be referred to Mr. Lhwyd's Asterapodia, not being articulated: another stone you will meet with, which I believe may be of that kind but much larger. These are attended with some other Fossils, viz. Coale-plants, &c. With this comes also my request to you for your assistance and directions in the case of a worthy gentlewoman who has committed herself to my care, and whose health I heartily wish for. RIC. RICHARDSON." "GOOD DOCTor, London, May 4, 1703. "I received yours, and should be very glad to contribute any thing to your assistance in the case of the lady you seem to have a great desire to help. When you have tried any of the medicines, and send me word of the successe, I will tell you my further opinion. You needed not to have troubled yourself to have sent me a fee for such a small matter, which I should have been glad to have done out of friendship to any body you had a value for. I shall be glad to see your natural things you have sent me; and remain Sir, your most obedient, &c. HANS SLOANE." "WORTHY SIR, North Bierley, May 9, 1703.

"I was from home when yours came hither, where I was obliged to stay two or three days, so missed the opportunity of giving answer to yours by the first post. The day I went from home, 1 put up for you a box of Coale-plants, with some other Fossils. You will find, amongst the impressions upon Coale slate, some specimens I never had duplicates of, exactly answering the designs I left for you with Mr. Buddle, as the hairy Eruca, the head of a Carduus, or Jucca, the flower resembling some of Breynius' Crysanthimum Aizoides, but a little broken, and several others. The small collection I have of natural curiosities is at present in very great confusion, occasioned by removing them from the place where they were formerly placed; but, if those already sent come to you unpreju diced, I shall at another time run over the rest, and send such as I think will be pleasing to you. I was with Mr. Thoresby yesterday: he gives you his service, and shewed me a letter from Dr. Woodward, wherein he highly resents the prejudice I have done him by giving you the designs of some Fossils I have mét with here, which you was after pleased to show to your Society; at the Doctor's request I left them with him for several hours, which was long enough to make his observations upon them. I am sorry I should give any just occasion of displeasure either to him, or any other ingenious person; but I think it is no injury to him, to dispose of my own as I think convenient.

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He very civilly shewed me his collection (which is very fine); but at the same time could not forbear reflecting upon several of my friends, which I have a great esteem for. He told me openly, I was mistaken in the remarks I communicated to Mr. Lhwyd; and that Shells he had plenty, found upon Inglebrough. I desired Mr. Thoresby long ago to acquaint him, that in one part of the hill, where there is Lime-stone, I had since my former observations found Shells and Entrochi; but the greatest part of the top of the hill consisting of a course ragy stone, and the lower of a fine sand stone, of which slates for covering houses are made. There is not the least mention of any marine body. We have very few found here; this part of the country affording neither Lime nor Chalk, though the Doctor told me we had no stones in England but would burn to a calx; which if he can make out, I will be under an obligation to give him a very noble reward. But I am afraid I have already wearied your patience. I had some years ago made some remarks upon the Coale Fossils of this country, with reference to the designs you now have; but these are jumbled together with the rest, and not easily to be found; but if you have any queries relating to them, when you please to favour me with a second letter, upon notice shall give you all the satisfaction I can; or if either dried specimens, or viva radices of our Northern Plants, may be acceptable to you, or any of your Society, I shall be very ready to serve them. I desire you will pardon this impertinent scribble, and believe that I am your assured friend and servant, RIC. RICHARDSON." London, May 11, 1703.

SIR, "I was much surprised to find by yours, by yesterday's post, that you had not received my letter in answer to your's concerning a lady ill in your neighbourhood. I never, unless very extraordinary business carries me out of town, neglect any matter that is relating to sick persons, whatever I may do as to curiosities; and much less would I any body concerning whom you write to me; and therefore pray lett me know if you have not received it, for then it must have miscarried, for I thought yours had been an answer to it. I told you my opinion at length; pray lett me know if you received it not, and how the lady does. I received your very kind present and fee, which last you needed not have troubled yourself to have sent to one who is so much obliged to you, as is your most obedient and most humble servant, HANS SLOANE." London, May 13, 1703.

"GOOD DOCTOR, "I received your's of the 9th yesterday in the afternoon, and am sorry for the death of the lady. I conclude, since the medicines you had administered did not succeed, no others would. I have seen many such obstinate cases, and I know no distemper so hazardous in elderly persons as an asthma. I have received your Fossils, which are very curious, and for which, as well as many other things, I am in your debt. I have some books for you, but am so hurried that I have not time to look them out. I have been

"SIR,

been very near Bath since I wrote you my last save one. I went in 24 hours, and came very near back as speedily, on occasion of the sickness of her Grace the Duchess of Beaufort, who I hope is recovering. I never saw West India Plants in such perfection out of their own climate as there. HANS SLOANE." London, May 28, 1706. / "I had yours and Dr. Johnston's of the 22d yesterday, and this morning answered it, which I hope will come to your hands. I think Sir John Kaye's case a very dangerous one; and believe, unless there be found a speedy remedy to his swellings, he cannot hold long out, and therefore have advised scarifications in the ancles. I have seen them discharge great quantities of serum, and empty all the parts above them to a wonder. I doubt not your taking care of every thing, and acting so cautiously as he may be relieved without hazard of any mortifications. I need not caution you or Dr. Johnston, nor say any thing more to what I have wrote.

The subject of this is, to let you know that, I am sure for this six months, I have a few books of Natural History which have lain ready to be sent you; and have never been able to know where your carrier lies, and which are his days of setting out from London. I am extremely in your debt, on account of many Curiosities, Plants, &c. and should be glad to know how to send you something now and then, as it falls in my way; though not to be in proportion to what I had of you, yet to show my gratitude, and that I am not forgetful of your favours. My most humble service to Mrs. Kaye; and please to do me the favour to tell her that I should be glad to be any way serviceable to Sir John, or any of her friends. If you please to tell me a word how your medicines or methods work with him, you will oblige your most obedient and most humble servant, HANS SLOANE." London, July 11, 1706.

"SIR,

"I thank you for your kind letter, which I received yesterday. I am glad there was any thing in the bundle sent worth your acceptance; pray command me in any thing to my power here.

"I am sorry Sir John Kaye continues so bad; 'tis very strange so much evacuation should not relieve him. What if you lessened his drink, and made him take a sudorific or diuretic diet-drink, instead of ordinary drink for that which you allow him, or at least infuse in this ordinary drink the roots of Raphanus rusticanus ? I believe you cannot give him better medicines than he takes, but I have seen great effects of Broom-ashes.

"You shall be sure to receive my account of Jamaica with the first. I mention in it somewhere or other the Fossils you sent me. Pray, as you saunter, if you meet with any thing that or any other way curious, let me have a line, which will much oblige your most obedient servant, HANS SLOANE." London, April 22, 1707.

"SIR, "I have sent a book of my own I have just finished to the Bradford carrier, who I hope will convey it safe to you. It is the

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