54 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Museum, aud formed the basis of the present British Herbarium 

 now at Cromwell Road. 



Another influence — and, without doubt, a greater one- — was that 

 meutioned by Lord Avebiuy at the Darwin- Wallace celebration 

 on the 1st July, 1908. Speaking of Charles Darwin, our late 

 Fellow said : — " I first heard his name in 1842—66 years ago — 

 when my father returned one evening from the city and said he 

 had a great piece of news for me : Mr. Darwin was coming to 

 live close to us at Down, which he has rendered so famous." 



Mr. Lubbock joined our Society on the 21st January, 1858, at 

 the age of 23, and compounded for his annual payments, an 

 investment which has hardly ever been equalled, for during 



55 years the use he made of the library has not been approached 

 by any other recorded Fellow. How many of his facts in his 

 long series of papers and books were derived from volumes in 

 possession of the Society can never be ascertained. Soon after 

 his admission, his first paper, on the " Cutaneous Muscles of the 

 I/arva of Pygcera hucephala" was printed in the 22nd volume of 

 our ' Transactions,' followed by tweh'e papers in the same set of 

 volumes, besides others in our Journals. All his 'Transaction' 

 papers were on insects and many of the Journal papers also ; but 

 he afterwards broke ground by botanical observations. Naturally, 

 it is his biological papers which appeal to us, but the general 

 public know him as an author chiefly by his popular works, such 

 as "Use of Life," "The Beauties of Nature," "The Pleasures 

 of Life " in two parts, " Prehistoric Times," " The Scenery of 

 Switzerland,'"' and the like, some of which ran into very many 

 editions and were translated into most of the European 

 languages and even into Japanese. 



But, side by side with his scientific studies, his business pursuits 

 and political life caused him to publish essays and addresses on 

 points of interest for the passing moment, and also on archaeo- 

 logical and anthropological matters. It was his many-sided 

 existence which attracted the notice of the pubUc, and that regard 

 was finally fixed when the Bank Holidays Act was passed in 1871, 

 Avhich added the first Monday in August to the clays following: 

 Boxing Day, Easter Monday, and Whit-Monday. 



Sir John Lubbock, who had succeeded to the baronetcy in 

 1865, was elected President of the Linnean Society in 1881, 

 and made his influence at once felt. His predecessor was far 

 better as an observer and describer than as an administrator, and 

 nndor his indulgent rule the debates were suffered to become 

 discursive and irregidar. The new President quickly brought 

 his trained faculties to bear, and the conduct of business became 

 both quicker and more regular. He also revived the receptions, 

 which had been dropped since the days of Mr. George Bentham, 

 and the rive years of his presidency were notable in the history of 

 the Society. Upon his quitting the Chair, the present rule 

 was established with his entire sanction, by which no president 

 is elected more than four times. 



