SAMUEL DALE AND THE DALE FAMILY. 
65 
The exact date of Dale’s death (like that of his birth) has 
been long in doubt. Until recently, the accepted date has 
been 6th June 1739, but this is certainly Wrong. 91 That he 
must have been still in fair health in the summer of 1738 seems 
clear from the fact that, writing to Birch, he speaks* 2 of having 
been “ at your house in July last.” Yet the further fact that, 
in the following month, he made his will suggests that he felt 
his hold upon life becoming precarious. Anyw r ay, it is certain 
that he died between this date and April 1739, When his will 
was proved. 915 The Rev. Stephen Newcomen says 94 Dale’s death 
took place 15th March 1738-9, which is very nearly right. As 
a matter of fact, it occurred three days later, on the 18th of 
that month. This is recorded in a memorandum by Relhan, 
discovered some years ago by Prof. Boulger on a sheet in either 
the Linnean or the Smithian Herbarium, but since lost sight 
of:—“ Samuel Dale dyed between 3 and 4 of the clock on 
Sunday morning March 18, 17H, aged for this 81 year.” 95 
Dale’s burial-place, too, has long been in doubt. It has 
been assumed generally that he, was buried at Booking, in 
the ground attached to the Chapel, of which he had been one of the 
founders ; but there has been hitherto no definite proof of this, 
for all the earlier Registers of the Chapel, from 1707 to 1811, 
have been lost. Some years ago, I searched the grave-yard 
carefully, in the hope of finding some memorial to him, but 
entirely without success. Recently, however, Mr. Avery has 
produced the letter from Newcomen, 96 in which, waiting just 
six years after Dale’s death, he says :—” He was buried in 
the yard belonging to the Meeting House in Booking, aged 
79 years. There is no inscription or monument for him : only 
a stone over his wife, 97 Who Was first buried there.’ 98 This 
may be regarded as conclusive. 
Dale’s will, 99 made 5th August 1738, seven months before 
his death, and proved (with a codicil dated 17 March 1738-9, 
the day preceding his death) on 6th April 1739, before the Rev. 
91 The error has been due obviously to the misleading obituary notice referred to above. 
92 Letter dated 23rd Aug. 1739 (Sloane MS. 4304, fo. 40). 
93 See post. 
94 See letter already referred to [ante, p. 58. 
95 As to Dale's age, see ante. 
96 See ante, p. 58. 
97 Presumedly his second wife, Sarah, though both wives seem to have been buried in one 
grave (see post, p. 67). 
98 Even this stone has now disappeared, so far as I can find. 
99 Comm, of London, Essex, and Herts., Bull, 212. 
