LIFE OF SIR HANS SLOANE. 13 



Sir Hans had married, in 1G95, Elizabeth, daughter of Alderman 

 Langley of London. She died in 1124, and was buried at Chelsea, 

 where, on the 18th of January, 1753, her husband's body was depos- 

 ited in the same vault with her. A monument was erected to their 

 memory, consisting of a pedestal surmounted by a portico, which is 

 supported by four pillars, under which is an urn, entwined with serpents. 

 Emblematical of his profession is the following inscription : — 



" In memory of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart, President of the Royal Society and 

 of the College of Physicians, who died in the year of our Lord 1753., the ninety- 

 secoud year of his age, without the least pain of body, and with a conscious 

 serenity of mind ended a virtuous and beneficent life. This monument was erect- 

 ed by his two daughters, Elizabeth Cadogan and Sarah Stanley, 1 ' 



On the north side of the monument is a memorial of Lady Sloane. 



In conformity with the custom of the time a funeral sermon was 

 preached by Dr. Zachary Pearce, at that time Bishop of Bangor, but 

 who had been expressly forbidden by the deceased to give way to the 

 gross flatteries so prevalent on such occasions, Sloane very properly 

 accounting it a degree of profanation to debase with the praises of 

 human excellence that pulpit which should be devoted to display to 

 men the attributes of the Deity, and to instruct them in his laws. 



Two daughters only survived Sir Hans Sloane — a son and daughter 

 having died in their infancy. Sarah, the eldest, was married to George 

 Stanley, Esq., of Poultou in Hampshire, and Elizabeth married Lord 

 Cadogan. Unwilling to deprive these ladies of so large a portion 

 of his fortune, and yet reluctant to have his museum divided aftea* 

 death, and equally reluctant to deprive his country of the benefit 

 of so valuable a collection, Sir Hans, by his last will, bequeathed this 

 magnificent result of the exertions of his whole life to the nation, on 

 condition that Parliament should reimburse his family to the extent 

 of £20,000., a sum, though large, said to be not more than the intrinsic 

 value of the gold and silver medals, ores, and precious stones in it ; 

 and he himself states in his will that the first cost to him had been at 

 least £50,000. In consequence of this, immediately after his death, 

 above forty of the trustees, appointed by the will to take charge of his 

 museum, met the Lord Cadogan and the other executors at the niauor- 

 house, Chelsea. His Lordship produced the will, and acquainted the 

 trustees with the codicils containing the dispositions for continuing his 



