Sill HANS SLOANE. 25 



Thoresby thus mentions it under the date of 

 May 24, 1695. "Walked to Mr Charlton's 

 chambers at the Temple, who very courteously 

 shewed me his museum, which is, perhaps, the 

 most noble collection of natural and artificial 

 curiosities, of ancient and modern coins and 

 medals, that any private person in the world 

 enjoys ; it is said to have cost him 7000 or 

 8000 sterling; there is, I think, the greatest 

 variety of insects and animals, corals, shells, 

 petrifactions, &c. that ever I beheld. But I spent 

 the greatest part of my time amongst the coins; 

 for though the British and Saxon be not very 

 extraordinary, yet his silver coins of the emperors 

 and consuls is very noble. He has also a costly 

 collection of medals of eminent persons in church 

 and state, domestic and foreign reformers. But 

 before I was half satisfied, an unfortunate visit 

 from the Countess of Pembroke, and other ladio 

 from court, prevented farther queries," &c.* 



Obadiah Walker's treatise on " Greek an\ 

 Roman History, illustrated by coins and medals,^ 

 is dedicated to " W T illiam Charlton of the Middle 

 Temple, Esq." in which he says, " your eminency 

 in this study, and your plentiful and (not without 

 great skill and difficulty ^ well chosen treasure, 



* Tboresby's Diary, vol. i. p. 299. 

 t 8vo. 1692. 



