76 HISTORY or botany. 



society of that time. By the advice of Sir Joseph 

 Banks,* the well-known patron of naturalists, and with the 

 assistance of his father, Smith purchased the collections of 

 Linneus, which were then on sale, for nine hundred guineas. 

 It was, however, only by a lucky chance that this valuable 

 property was not lost to our country, for though, with the 

 intention of combining the profession of medicine with 

 lecturing on Natural History, Smith prevailed on his father to 

 advance the purchase money, when Gustavus III. of Sweden, 

 who had been absent in France, heard of the transaction, 

 he sent a vessel to the Somid to intercept the ship 

 which was conveying it; fortunately he was too late. In 



1785 Smith was elected a Fellow of the Koyal Society. In 



1786 he travelled through Holland, France, Italy, and 

 Switzerland, and in Holland obtained the degree of M.D. at 

 Leyden. On returning to England, Botany soon occupied 

 nearly the whole of his time. In conjunction with Sir 

 Joseph Banks, Dr. Goodenough, and a few others, he 

 founded the Linnean Society in 1788, of which he was first 

 president, and retained the post for forty years. He 

 delivered lectures on Zoology and Botany at his own house, 

 and on Botany at Guy's Hospital. In 1814 he received the 

 honour of knighthood from George lY., and died 1828. 



-'' Sir Joseph Banks must he briefly noticed as the Maecenas of 

 liis time (see Virgil, p. 5). He was of ancient family, and a 

 great jjatron of natm-alists. He was also a great traveller ; he went 

 with Captain Cook to observe the transit of Venus in 1768, and in 

 1771 brought home numerous specimens of plants from Otaheite, 

 Terra del Fuego, New Zealand, and Australia. He was for some time 

 President of the Eoyal Society, and died 1820, at the age of 77. He 

 was not a writer of any great work, but contributed many valuable 

 papers to several learned societies. As a patron of Botany, in which 

 he especially took dehglit. Sir Joseph Banks must be credited with 

 having done a great deal to forward the Science. He was exceedingly 

 liberal, and his treasures were open to men of science at all times. 



