THE founder of the British Museum, Hans Sloane (as in Square) was a shocker in some respects — as a doctor in Jamaica he owned slaves — but in a fundamental way he benefited us all.
His will of 1753 bequeathed his collection of 71,000 objects to the nation: “I do hereby declare that it is my intention, that my said museum or collection be…visited and seen by all persons desirous of seeing and viewing the same… and rendered as useful as possible, as well towards satisfying the desire of the curious, as for the improvement, knowledge and information of all persons.”
