EARLY YEARS 9 



idleness. The pursuit of Natural History was followed 

 with the greatest ardour ; " his relaxation was confined 

 to exercise, and to angling, of which he was so fond that 

 he would devote days and nights to it ; and as it hap- 

 pened that Lord Sandwich had the same taste, and both 

 possessed estates in Lincolnshire, they became intimately 

 acquainted, and saw much of each other. So zealous 

 were these friends in the prosecution of this sport, that 

 they formed a project for suddenly draining the Ser- 

 pentine by letting off the water. Their hope was to 

 have thrown much light on the state and habits of the 

 fish. Banks was wont to lament their scheme being dis- 

 covered the night before it was to have been executed " 

 (Brougham). 



A notable early acquaintance of Banks was Thomas 

 Pennant. He was a good zoologist, and produced several 

 popular books on birds and other fauna ; although there 

 was difference of opinion among his friends as to the 

 value of his attainments in natural history. He had a 

 better reputation for an observing traveller in his own 

 country : one that is still deserving of record for those 

 who would get a glimpse of Britain in Pennant's days. 

 His seat at Downing, Flintshire, was the centre of an 

 intelligent and very wide circle of friends. Banks and 

 Pennant had more than one botanizing tour together. 



Another botanical friend was the Rev. John Lightfoot, 

 who later acquired some distinction in the science. Such 

 men as these entered into Banks's life in these earlier 

 days. Yet he did not keep outside the great world 

 of London. He had a town house in New Burlington 

 Street. Here he attracted the society of intelligent 

 persons, especially those who were able to collaborate in 

 the study of Natural Science. There must have been 

 something attractive about his personality as a young 

 man. His circle of congenial friends was ever widening. 

 Nothing could be more suggestive of his social and in- 



