LIFE 



OF 



SIR HANS SLOANE, M. D., 



FOUNDER OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



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The first attempt at forming a Museum iu Britain, was made early 

 in the seventeenth century, by John Tradescant, a native of Holland, 

 during the reign of Elizabeth.* He travelled, patronized by the Lord 

 Treasurer Salisbury and Lord Wooton, into various parts of Europe, 

 and in 1620 was on board of a vessel forming part of a fleet sent 

 against the Algerines. Availing himself of that opportunity of pursu- 

 ing his favourite studies, he collected specimens of Natural History and 

 mostly plants from Barbary and the Mediterranean Islands, and a few 

 years after, we find him settled at Lambeth, where he founded a cele- 

 brated Botanic Garden. There he established his Museum, which was 

 the wonder of the age, and was known as Tradescant's Ark. It was 

 much frequented by the principal nobility, who contributed specimens, 

 and among the names of those contributors appear those of the King 

 and Queen, Archbishop Laud, the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham, 

 &c. 



John Tradescant died about 1652, and his son, with whom the family 

 became extinct, bestowed the collection on Elias Ashmole, who materi- 

 ally increased it in various departments, and offered to give the whole 

 to the University of Oxford, provided they would erect a building fit to 

 receive it. This was immediately granted, the building erected, and 

 called the Ashmolean Museum. 



* The Spider-wort is known in our botanical works under the name of " Trades- 

 cantia Virginica," in honour of him. 



