84 MEMOIR OF 



shall leave in a list by me signed ; or if no such list 

 be left, then such persons as my executors shall know 

 to have been my most intimate friends and acquain- 

 tances. And that they shall have rings of twenty 

 shillings value given to each of them. 



" Whereas, from my youth, 1 have been a great 

 observer and admirer of the wonderful power, wisdom, 

 and contrivance of the Almighty God, appearing in 

 the works of his creation, and have gathered together 

 many things in my own travels or voyages, or had 

 them from others, especially my ever honoured late 

 friend, William Courteen, Esq. who spent the 

 greatest part of his life and estate in collecting such 

 things in and from most parts of the earth, which he 

 left me at his death, subject to several debts and 

 legacies, which have been long since satisfied and 

 paid, and his collections kept entire. And whereas 

 I have made great additions of late years, as well to 

 my books, both printed and manuscript, as to my 

 collections of natural and artificial curiosities, precious 

 stones, books of dried samples of plants, miniatures, 

 drawings, prints, medals, and the like ; with some 

 paintings concerning them, now placed in my house 

 and gardens ; amounting in the whole to a very great 

 sum of money, reckoning them at first cost to be at 

 least fifty thousand pounds. Now, desiring very 

 much that these things, tending many ways to the 

 manifestation of the glory of God, the confutation of 

 atheism and its consequences, the use and improve- 

 ment of physic, and other arts and sciences, and 

 benefit of mankind, may remain together and 

 not be separated, and that chiefly in and about the 

 city of London, where I have acquired most of my 

 estates, and where they may, by the great confluence 

 of people, be of most use. Now, I do give and devise 

 the same unto Charles Lord Cadogan, my nephew 

 William Sloane, Esq. and the Rev. Dr Sloane Els- 

 jnere, rector of Chelsea, whom I do make executors 

 of this my last will and testament. Nevertheless, 

 such my bequest and gift to them is upon this special 

 trust and confidence, that they shall, as soon as may 



