THE CHELSEA " PHYSICKE GARDEN' 



when he died, at the age of ninety-two, his museum contained two 

 hundred volumes of dried plants, and 30,600 specimens of other 

 objects of natural history, besides a library of 50,000. volumes, 

 and 3,566 manuscripts. All this he bequeathed to the nation 

 on condition that Parliament should pay his executors 20,000, 

 which he estimated as the fourth of its value. 



It was a munificent offer, and an Act was passed accepting it, 

 by which the vast collection, added to the books and manuscripts 

 of Sir Robert Cotton, before purchased, became the nucleus of the 

 national treasure-house. It was established either by accident 

 or design in Sloan's old neighbourhood, Bloomsbury, and was 

 first opened to the public in 1759, six years after his death. It 

 is now famous all the world over as the British Museum. 



It was to Sir Hans Sloan that, finding it impossible to support 

 unaided the upkeep of their garden, the Society of Apothecaries 

 now appealed for help. A deputation waited upon him to ascertain 

 his sentiments towards it. These sentiments, though there was 

 no immediate result from the interview, were probably benevolent, 

 for it seems to have paved the way for the liberal settlement of 

 the question a few years later. This was in 1722, when a deed 

 of conveyance of the garden at Chelsea from Sir Hans Sloan to the 

 Society of Apothecaries, was laid before the court of assistants, 

 approved by them, and ordered to be sealed. The " release is 

 made between the Hon. Sir Hans Sloan, Bart., President of the 

 Royal College of Physicians on one part, and the master, wardens, 

 and Society of the art and mystery of apothecaries of the City 

 of London on the other part." It recites the original lease from 

 Lord Cheyne, and also the great expense incurred by the society 

 in laying out and supporting the Physic Garden ever since that 

 lease was granted, and goes on to say, " to the end that the said 

 garden may at all times hereafter be continued as a Physicke 

 Garden, and for the better encouraging and enabling the said 

 Society to support the charge thereof, for the manifestation of 

 the power, wisdom, and glory of God in the works of the creation,, 

 and that their apprentices and others may better distinguish good 

 and useful plants from those that bear resemblance to them and 

 yet are hurtful and other the like good purposes ; the said Sir 

 Hans Sloan grants to the Master, Warden, and Society and their 

 successors, all that piece and parcel of arable and pasture land, 



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