King David from BL Sloane 2427, f. 9

Miniature of king David playing the harp, at the beginning of the Psalter. Image taken from f. 9 of Added leaf to replace a missing one.

David was a skilled musician and poet, and he played the harp to soothe King Saul when he was tormented by evil spirits. David's musical abilities and his role as a psalmist also led him to be associated with the worship of God and with the expression of devotion and praise. The image of David playing the harp remains a symbol of the connection between music, worship, and devotion in Western tradition.

Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial role in the development of British museums and libraries. Sloane was a fellow of the Royal Society and a physician to the royal family. He also traveled extensively and collected items from all over the world.

Sloane's collection was vast and eclectic, encompassing a wide range of subjects, including natural history, botany, ethnography, medicine, antiquities, and more. His manuscript collection included medieval and early modern texts, as well as materials from various cultures and time periods. His collection formed the basis for the British Museum (now part of the British Library), the Natural History Museum, and the British Museum Library (now part of the British Library).