of the late Sir Joseph Banks. 45 



delighting in mere change without regard of its consequences, 

 Sir Joseph Banks had also to combat, and it was his duty to pre- 

 serve the Royal Society from iheir intrusion. 



At length, the mutual discontents between the President and 

 a number of the members of the Society broke out into open dis- 

 cussion. In the course of its proceedings, Dr. Hutton, a ntinie 

 dear to science, was reduced to the necessitvof resigning: tiieotlice 

 6f Foreign Secretary, on learning that he had been accused of 

 neglecting his duties. He however explained and defended his 

 conduct, and a vote of the Society fully approved of his defence. 



On the evening of the Sth of January, 1784, a resolution ' that 

 this Society do approve of Sir Joseph Banks for their President, 

 and will support him,' was moved in a very full meeting of the 

 Society, by Sir Joseph's friends. It was strenuously opposed by 

 several members, and in particular by Dr. Horsley ; who having 

 been interrupted in a speech of great force and argument, and 

 being further irritated by a suggestion from Lord Mulgrave, arose 

 and spoke with great eloquence, intimating a threat, that if he 

 and his fiiends were disrespectfully treated by Sir Joseph Banks, 

 they might probably secede, and form a rival society. ' Sir,* said 

 he, in conchision, ' we shall have one remedy in our power, if all 

 others fail ; we can at least secede. Sir, when the hour of se- 

 cession does come, the President will be left with his train of 

 feeble amateursy and that toy (pointing to the mace) upon the 

 table, — the ghost of that Society in which philosophy once 

 feigned, and Newton presided as her minister.' The motion 

 made in favour of Sir Joseph Banks was, however, carried bv a 

 great majority, and the dissention soon after subsided. 



The Society now returned with new zeal and unanimity to the 

 prosecution of their proper labours. These labours are before 

 the public in their Transactions, which contain a multitude of 

 discoveries of the highest importance. 



All the voyages and travels that have been made during the 

 last thirty years, have either been suggested by Sir Joseph 

 Banks, or had his approbation and support. The African Asso- 

 ciation owes its origin to him ; and Ledyard, Lucas, Houghton, 

 and the unfortunate Mungo Park, all partook of that kind and 

 fostering care which he extended to the enterprising lover of 

 science. The culture of the bread-fruit tree in the West Indies, 

 and the establishment of our colony at Botany Bay, originated 

 eblely with him. 



It was not merely to the duties of President of the Royal So- 

 ciety, nor in the meetings of its members, that Sir Joseph Banks 

 confined his sphere of usefulness ; his purse was always open to 

 promote the cause of science ; and many a traveller, when in di- 

 stant and inhospitable climes, has drawn on his bounty : and such 



