10 



BANKS CELEURATIOy. 



JiaiiL-s hail Itet-ii elected F.ii.S. in 1 TOO at the age of 23. lli» 

 eleelioii us rresideiit twelve rears hiter iiidii-ates the |iositioii he 

 hud uh-eaily al tallied in tlie scietititic world. Though othei- names 

 were sii<,'m-.stetl, i here Was a general opinion that no one was so 

 well (luulilied to occupy the vacant chair, and Banks was elected 

 j)ractiiaily unanimously. 



Thus at the age of 35 Banks occupied the premier |)08ition in 

 the scieiitifte world, wna jjersona (jrata at Court, possessed ample 

 means, and a kimwledge gained by actual experience of the 

 resources, as yet largely untapped, of the i^lobe. To these were 

 added uii attractive and powert'iil personality, -(oikI health, and an 

 intense enthusiasm for doing things and getting things done. 



It is to he regretted that theiv is no record of a long life of 

 unremitting work and remarkably varied usefulness beyond what 

 can be pieced together from the correspondence extending o\er 

 more than 50 years, a copy of which is in the Depar;meiit of 

 Botany of the British Museum. 



For 4l' years Hanks was President of the Boyal .Society ; it has 

 been said — he was the Royal Society, Jle ruled as an autocrat; but 

 it would seem that on the whole he ruled wisely and acted in what 

 he regarded as the best interests of the Society. During the early 

 years of his occupancy of the Chair some friction aro:<e between 

 President and Secretaries. Banks was anxious to raise the 

 standard of the Fellowship, and announced that he meant to 

 watch over applications for admission. He freely expressed his 

 opinion on the merits of candidates, and advised for or against 

 their election at the time of ballot. The rejection of a number of 

 candidates gave offence to some of the Fellows, and in 1783 the 

 discontent came to a head in an effort by a strong party fo sup- 

 plant Banks, who was also accused of u lack of sympathy with 

 the matheinatic.il side of the Society's work. However, a motion, 

 which was seconded by the Hon. Hy. Cavendish, "that this 

 Society do approve of Sir Joseph Banks as their President, and 

 mean to support him in that olfice," was carried by 111) against 

 42. After the election of a new Secretary a few montiis later, in 

 which Dr. iilagden, who was supported by Banks, secured a 

 majority of lOU (139 to 3'.)) over the candidate put for*\ard by the 

 opposition, the meetings resumed their former peaceful character. 



As regards our own Society — 1 was askeil a few days ago» 

 a propos of our present coniinemoration, what special connection 

 Sir Joseph lianks had with the Limiean Society. 'I'he Royal 

 Society, the British Museum, the Royal Gardens, Kew. — the 

 association of Sir Joseph Banks with these is, or should be, 

 generally known; but what special interest had he in the Linnean 

 Society? Though Banks played an important part in the deve- 

 lopment of the three institutions above-named, with which his 

 name has been associated, he found them all in existence. It is 

 probable that had it not been for Banks the Linnean Society of 

 London would not have come into being when and how it did. 



