42 MEMOIR OF 



to Jamaica, which rendered it peculiarly suc- 

 cessful to Natural History. He was the first man 

 of learning whom the love of science alone had 

 led from England to that distant part of the globe, 

 and consequently the field was wholly open to 

 him. He was already well acquainted with the 

 discoveries of the age : he had an enthusiasm for 

 his object, and was at an age when both activity 

 of body and vivacity of mind concur to vanquish 

 difficulties." His reputation was now so great 

 that, on the 30th November, 1693, he was elected 

 secretary of the Royal Society ; and, in accord- 

 ance with his active character and ardent zeal for 

 die interests of science, he immediately revived 

 the publication of the " Philosophical Transac- 

 tions," which had been interrupted from the year 

 1687. He continued in this office till 1712, when 

 he was succeeded by Dr Halle}', who, we have 

 seen, had been the successful competitor with 

 Sloane for the office of assistant secretary in the 

 year 1685, and who, subsequent to the voyage of 

 the latter to Jamaica, had also crossed the 

 Atlantic to visit the British settlements in 

 America for astronomical purposes, returning in 

 September, 1700. 



Dr Sloane's professional fame now rapidly 

 extended. In October, 1694, he was chosen 

 physician to Christ's Hospital ; and his circum- 

 stances appear to have been in so flourishing a 

 condition as to justify his refusal to receive the. 



