MAECENAS AND HIS HAPPENINGS 169 



Occasionally, Banks's prodigality in favour of the 

 devotees of Science came home to him with some vexa- 

 tion. There is a curious state of affairs with the two 

 Forsters, which reveals a determination on the part of 

 Sir Joseph to insist upon his rights, however valueless 

 the prospect of his money being ever repaid. 



Johann Reinhold Forster came to England about the 

 year 1766, in hopes of getting a living by Literature. 

 With a growing young family, he found it difficult to 

 make ends meet. His son [Johann] Georg was his ardent 

 hope, and certainly showed much promise. Both father 

 and son made friends among the learned, alike on account 

 of their personal character and their mental gifts. They 

 went as naturalists on the second circumnavigation. 

 Socially, this arrangement was not a complete success, 

 because of the father's irascible temper and frequent 

 misunderstandings with Captain Cook. The result of 

 their scientific labours was all that could be desired. 

 But 4000 proved an inadequate payment for their 

 services, after expenses were deducted, They were 

 soon as impecunious as ever, J. R. Forster was glad to 

 accept an offer from Banks of four hundred guineas 

 for his drawings. After this, the Forsters proposed to go 

 back to Germany. Georg insinuated the idea of a public 

 subscription to enable them to do so. The father wrote to 

 Banks (February, 1778) with a sad relation of the state 

 of the family affairs. It must be about this time 

 that Banks lent him 250. Then the two went to 

 Germany, and succeeded better than they had done 

 in England. Georg was a Professor at Cassel for several 

 years, and corresponded freely with Sir Joseph ; on 

 scientific topics generally, and sometimes on money 

 matters. 



J. R. Forster placed himself under the patronage of 

 Frederick the Great. He became Professor of Natural 

 History at Halle, and held the post with considerable 



