48 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



The party presently stayed at Mulgrave Hall. A spirit 

 of active research predominated over all the amusements, 

 inspired by the two leading members of the party. 

 Botany and opening ancient barrows were the chief 

 objects. Banks put the two boys into active training as 

 botanists, and sent them out early in the morning to the 

 woods to gather plants. " We could not easily have met 

 with an abler master. Although it was somewhat early 

 for us to turn natural philosophers, the novelty of the 

 thing, and rambling through wild sylvan tracts of pecu- 

 liarly romantic beauty, counteracted all notions of 

 studious drudgery, and turned science into a sport. We 

 were prepared over-night for those morning excursions 

 by Sir Joseph. He explained to us the rudiments of the 

 Linnean System, in a series of nightly Lectures, which 

 were very short, clear, and familiar ; the first of which he 

 illustrated by cutting up a cauliflower." 1 



After leaving Mulgrave Hall the party went on to 

 Skelton Castle. In the adjacent village of Kirkleatham 

 there lived the father of Captain Cook, who excited much 

 interest in his visitors. " His looks were venerable from 

 his great age ; and his deportment was above that which 

 is usually found among the lowly inhabitants of a hamlet. 

 . . . His eightieth year had nearly passed away, and only 

 two or three years previously he had learned to read, 

 that he might gratify a parent's pride and love by 

 perusing his son's first voyage round the world." 2 



The return of Captain Cook from his second voyage 

 round the world was honoured in no niggardly way. 

 To the general public he was a hero, a seaman who was 

 carrying forward the best traditions of his profession. 

 The Admiralty officials were not less sensible of his value 

 to the service. The Royal Society admitted him to the 

 Fellowship, and listened eagerly to his paper read before 



1 R. B. Peake : Memoirs of the Colman Family, I, 355, etc. 



2 Random Records, by George Colman the younger, I, 202. 



