122 STEPHEN HALES 



University for some years, and became, in 1703, 

 the first Professor of Chemistry at Cambridge. 



Judging from his book. Medulla Chymiae, 1682, 

 Vigani was an eminently practical person, who 

 cared greatly about the proper make of a furnace 

 and the form of a retort but was not cumbered 

 with theories. 



Hales vacated his fellowship and became 

 minister or perpetual curate of Teddington^ in 

 1708 — 9, and there he lived until his death, fifty- 

 two years afterwards. He was married (? 1719) 

 and his wife died without issue in 1 72 1 . 



He attracted the attention of Royalty, and 

 received plants from the King's garden at Hampton 

 Court. Frederick Prince of Wales, the father of 

 George HI., is said to have been fond of surprising 

 him in his laboratory at Teddington. This must 

 surely be a unique habit in a prince, but we may 

 remember that, in the words of the Prince's mock 

 epitaph, "Since it is only Fred there's no more to be 

 said." He became Clerk of the Closet to the 

 Dowager Princess, and this "mother of the best of 

 Kings," as she calls herself, put up his monument in 

 Westminster Abbey. Hales had the honour of 

 receiving the Copley Medal from the Royal Society 

 in i739> and Oxford made him a D.D. in 1733. 



Some years ago I made a pilgrimage to Tedding- 

 ton, and found in the parish registers many interest- 

 ing entries by his hand ; the last, in a tremulous 

 writing, is on November 4th, 1760, two months 

 before he died. He was clearly an active parish 



» He also held the living of Famngdon in Hampshire where he 

 occasionally resided. 



