174 A Review of the Character , &fe. of Sir Joseph Banks. 



In proof of this charge, we are told that during the twelve 

 weeks which, according to the statutes, the certificate recom- 

 mending a candidate hung up in the Society's rooms, it was the 

 hahitof Sir Joseph to prejudice the minds of those who attended 

 the Soho Square levees, by making known his resolution in 

 phraseology not very courtly, but suited to the purpose and 

 varied to accord with the occasion. '' We want no mathema- 

 ticians." " No more luorshippers of old Cardan for me." " I'll 

 have no schoolmasters." " Let us have no country surgeons." 

 *' He! why he is an author! Who could think of proposing 

 him ? We want no authors;" and so on. If these, and similar 

 remarks, scattered with great activity during the twelve weeks' 

 probation, seemed likely to fail in their effect, then " the Presi- 

 dent would run about the room on a night of election, out of 

 breath with anger and impatience, seducing the ignorant, awing 

 the timid, and deceiving the wise ; cajoling as many as possible 

 to put in black-balls:" and often " inducing the candidate, or 

 his friends from an apprehension of rejection, to avoid the mor- 

 tification by taking down the certificate." 



Among the candidates rejected principally by black-balling, in 

 the years 1781, 1782, and 1783, were, Mr. Henry Clarke, of 

 Manchester; Mr. Meyrick (who was black-balled by the Presi- 

 dent asking more than 100 persons in the room to vote against 

 him, an ascertained fact) ; Dr. Bates, a physician at Bucking- 

 ham ; Dr. Hallifax; Dr. Enfield (here the cry was, "I'll have 

 no Disstnters") ; Dr. Beerenbrock and Dr. Blane, two eminent 

 physicians; and Major Desbarres, the friend and maritime tutor 

 of Captain Cook. Shortly after the " black-balling" of this 

 latter named gentleman, the following paragraph appeared in 

 the public papers: « 



" Yesterday Major Desbarres kissed His Majesty's hand on 

 being appointed Governor of Nova Scotia. This reward, we 

 hear, has been conferred on this able and spirited officer, for 

 great national services, in recompense of much time and much 

 money, for having saved by his philosophical labours, many of 

 the king's ships, and the lives of niany of our fellow subjects." 



The preceding list of exclusions serves to prove, that in the 

 early portions of Sir Joseph's reign, his antipathy was not merely 

 to mathematicians, 



[To be continued.] 



XXVH. An 



