SIR HANS SLOANE. 
27 
to the list appends the following amusing “ P.S. 
I hope the generous example of these curious 
persons will excite and encourage others, who 
travel to or reside in foreign parts, to do the like 
for me ; especially, since the preserving of all 
animals, vegetables, and fossils, is so easily per- 
formed according to my printed directions, which 
I am ready and free to give to all such as will be 
so kind to make collections for me, and, as I have 
elsewhere hinted, the most, common as well as 
rare, — i. e. whatever they meet with, either of 
plants, shells, insects, fossils, &c. — will be highly 
acceptable to me, and shall, on all occasions, be 
gratefully acknowledged by your most obliged 
and humble servant, James Petiver.” He died, 
April 20, 1718, and his museum was purchased 
by Sir Hans Sloane for L.4000, — an immense sum 
for that period, when the value of money was so 
much greater than at present. 
Having thus traced the first of these collections 
till it was rendered of general utility by being 
placed at the service of the public, and the other 
two into the possession of the individual who so 
laudably adopted the same plan in their final 
disposal, we now offer a brief notice of the life of 
the generous testator. 
Alexander Sloane, a native of Scotland, was at 
the head of that colony of his countrymen which 
James I. settled in the north of Ireland. He became 
