420 
which he received from his countrymen and rulers, 
with what we have obtained from ours. Happy 
will it be, if the utility of our labours should prove 
to correspond with the benefits which he conferred 
on the scientific world. 
“ Our beginnings have been propitious; and I be- 
lieve it will be found on comparison, that no lite- 
rary institution ever produced more solid matter of 
information within the same limits of time; and 
this entirely by our own pecuniary, as well as scien- 
tific efforts. 
“Celebrated academies have generally been as- 
sisted by royal stipends and ample funds; and their 
members have often had collateral views of worldly 
profit and promotion. We have been prompted by 
a disinterested zeal for science alone. 
“Tt is extremely pleasing to my recollection to 
recall the day when the first idea of this Institution 
presented itself to my mind,—which I immediately 
communicated to my worthy friend, who was then 
my near neighbour at Chelsea. The result of our 
consultation was a conference with our much valued 
friend, now Dean of Rochester. We soon laid the 
plan of the rising Institution ; and with the assis- 
tance of Sir Joseph Banks, and Mr. Dryander more 
especially, modelled it in such a manner that scarcely 
any alteration has since been found necessary. 
“Tn my subsequent tour through Europe, I made 
it my business to associate with us the most learned 
foreigners ; and after my return, in the spring of 
1788, the Linnean Society was founded. 
“The honourable sanction we have received from 
