ding to Dr. Bentley, that "the thieving Bursars of the old set
embezzled the College timber," {121} and it was this room that was fitted
up as "an elegant laboratory" in 1706 for John Francis Vigani, an Italian
chemist, who had taught unofficially in the 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 {122} 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 1721.

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 III., 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 1739, and Oxford made him a D.D. in 1733.

Some years ago I made a pilgrimage to Teddington, and found in the parish
registers many interesting 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 priest. He made his female parishioners do
public penance when he thought they deserved it. He did much for the
fabric of the church. "In 1754 {123a} he helped the parish to a decent
water supply and characteristically records in the parish register that
the outflow was such as to fill a two-quart vessel in 'three swings of a
pendulum beating seconds, which pendulum was 39+2/10 inches long from the
suspending nail to the middle of the plumbet or bob.'" Under the tower
he helped to build (which now serves as a porch) Stephen Hales is buried,
and the stone which covers his body is being worn away by the feet of the
faithful. By the piety of a few botanists a mural tablet, on which the
epitaph is restored, has been placed near the grave.