84 
MEMOIR OF 
shall leave in a list by me signed ; or if no such list 
be left, then such persons as my executors shall know 
to have been my most intimate friends and acquain- 
tances. And that they shall have rings of twenty 
shilliugs value given to each of them. 
“ Whereas, from my youth, I have been a great 
observer and admirer of the wonderful power, wisdom, 
and contrivance of the Almighty God, appearing in 
the works of his creation, and have gathered together 
many things in my own travels or voyages, or had 
them from others, especially my ever honoured late 
friend, William Courteen, Esq. who spent the 
greatest part of his life and estate in collecting such 
things in and from most parts of the earth, which lie 
left me at his death, subject to several debts and 
legacies, which have been long since satisfied and 
paid, and his collections kept entire. And whereas 
I have made great additions of late years, as well to 
my books, both printed and manuscript, as to my 
collections of natural and artificial curiosities, precious 
stones, books of dried samples of plants, miniatures, 
drawings, prints, medals, and the like ; with some 
paintings concerning them, now placed in my house 
and gardens ; amounting in the whole to a very great 
sum of money, reckoning them at first cost to be at 
least fifty thousand pounds. Now, desiring very 
much that these things, tending many ways to the 
manifestation of the glory of God, the confutation of 
atheism and its consequences, the use and improve- 
ment of physic, and other arts and sciences, and 
benefit of mankind, may remain together and 
not be separated, and that chiefly in and about the 
city of London, where I have acquired most of my 
estates, and where they may, by the great confluence 
of people, be of most use. Now, I do give and devise 
the same unto Charles Lord Cadogan, my nephew 
William Sloane, Esq. and the Rev. Dr Sloane Els- 
mere, rector of Chelsea, whom I do make executors 
of this my last will and testament. Nevertheless, 
such my bequest and gift to them is upon this special 
trust and confidence, that they shall, as soon as may 
