SIR JOSEPH BANKS 93 



Bow Street sent its cleverest officers to track tbem 

 down. Bow Street caught the smaller fry readily 

 enough, who snatched handkerchiefs and such petty 

 booty, and hanged them out of hand, while the more 

 desperate villains generally escaped. This is not to 

 say that the Bow Street Runners were not vigilant 

 and zealous. Indeed, their zeal sometimes outran 

 their discretion, as instanced in their bold capture of 

 Sir Joseph Banks, who was collecting natural history 

 specimens in the wilds. Sir Joseph, distinguished 

 man of science though he was, and a gentleman, was 

 singularly ill-favoured, and in this fact lies the chief 

 sting of Peter Pindar's witty verses on the subject — 



" Sir Joseph, fav'rite of great Queens and Kings, 

 Whose wisdom weed- and insect-hunter sings ; 



And ladies fair applaud, with smile so dimpling ; 

 Went forth one day amid the laughing fields 

 Where Nature such exhaustless treasure yields — • 



A-simpling ! 

 It happened on the self-same morn so bright 

 The nimble pupils of Sir Sampson AVright, 

 A-simpling too, for plants called Thieves, proceeded ; 

 Of which the nation's field should oft be weeded." 



They seize Sir Joseph. 



" ' Sirs, what d'ye take me for ? ' the Knight exclaimed — 

 ' A thief,' replied the Runners, with a curse ; 

 ' And now, sir, let us search you, and be damn'd '— 



And then they searched his pockets, fobs, and purse, 

 But, 'stead of pistol dire, and death-like crape, 



A pocket-handkerchief they cast their eye on, 

 Containing frogs and toads of various shape. 

 Dock, daisy, nettletop, and dandelion, 

 To entertain, with great propriety. 

 The members of his sage Society ; 

 Yet would not alter they their strong belief 

 That this their pris'ner was a thief. 



