SIR HANS SLOANE 53 



" free passage with their carts and horses " 

 and also to open again the " ditches lately 

 filled up." 



The ditches probably not only drained the 

 fields, but prevented cattle from straying. 



Residents in Chelsea thus had the advantage 

 of using the King's Private Road without con- 

 tributing to its maintenance, tor it was not until 

 1830 that the parishes, through which it passed, 

 became responsible for its repair. 



That Sloane was liked by his patients, rich 

 and poor, is evident. That he was popular 

 with fellow scientists is shown by the way in 

 which Fellows of the Royal Society took his 

 part in a quarrel. 



He could not have become rich and success- 

 ful without running the gauntlet of criticism. 

 At Royal Society meetings Dr. Woodward 

 thought that Sloane gave himself airs. Wood- 

 ward used to scowl at him across the table, 

 and finally made insulting remarks when Sloane 

 was reading a paper. The Royal Society, 

 under the presidency of Sir Isaac Newton, took 

 Sloane 's side, voted for Woodward's expulsion, 

 and refused to reinstate him. Woodward was 

 a notoriously pugnacious person. He fell out 

 with Dr. Mead, George II's physician. The 

 quarrel, begun with words, was continued with 

 walking-sticks, and ended with swords. 



Woodward slipped and fell. Mead made 

 him beg for his life, and Woodward is reported 

 to have said that he would take Mead's offer, 

 but not his physic. Possibly the sentence was 

 not finished until Woodward was on his feet 

 again, and swords were safely sheathed. 



