RAY. 163 



reign of James I., was planted in the northern part 

 of the sister isle. Having at an early age evinced 

 a decided taste for natural history, he chose the pro- 

 fession of medicine, and after studying four years in 

 London, where he became acquainted with Boyle and 

 Ray, went to Paris, and afterwards to Montpellier, 

 in which latter place he took his degree. At the age 

 of twenty-four he settled in London, and became a 

 Member of the Royal Society. In April 1687, he 

 was made a Fellow of the College of Physicians, and 

 in November following embarked for Jamaica as 

 physician to the Duke of Albemarle, who was ap- 

 pointed governor of the island ; but that nobleman 

 having died soon after his arrival, Dr Sloane returned 

 to England after an absence of only fifteen months. 

 In 1693, he was made secretary to the Royal So- 

 ciety, and in the ensuing year named physician to 

 Christ's Hospital ; in 1701, he obtained a medical 

 diploma from Oxford, and, in 1708, was elected an 

 Associate of the Academy of Sciences at Paris. In 

 I7I6, he was created a baronet by George I., an ho- 

 nour which no medical man had previously obtained, 

 and afterwards was raised to the rank of physician- 

 general to the army. On the accession of George II. 

 he was made physician in ordinary to his Majesty ; 

 and on the death of Sir Isaac Newton, in 17^7, 

 succeeded that illustrious philosopher in the chair 

 of the Royal Society, which he occupied till 1740, 

 when his advanced age induced him to resign it. 

 He died at Chelsea on the 11th January 1752. 



Sir Hans Sloane was a man of the most respect^ 

 able character, being distinguished not less for his 

 liberality and patriotic zeal, than by his attain- 

 ments in science. The most important of his works 



