CHAPTER XII 

 EUROPEAN FAME 



SIR JOSEPH BANKS was not only mindful of the 

 courtesies due to foreign savants from their 

 friends in England. He extended toward them 

 a hand full of zeal and warmth. The prevalent 

 knowledge of this fact had much to do with the respect 

 in which he was held throughout Europe, and the 

 reverence usually paid to the Royal Society. 



One incident that occurred during the period of the 

 French Revolution is so characteristic of him that it may 

 be presented with some detail. 



The explorer, La Perouse, was long overdue. He 

 was last seen at Botany Bay early in 1788. The National 

 Assembly at length sent out a search Expedition, under 

 the command of Joseph D'Entrecasteaux, in September, 

 1791. He was accompanied by the botanist La Bil- 

 lardi&re, charged with the natural history department 

 of the Expedition, This latter gentleman was well 

 known to Banks, in whose house he had spent much 

 time studying the collection of plants, minerals, etc., 

 stored in Soho Square. At the request of La Billardiere, 

 Sir Joseph wrote a series of instructions for his use, 

 politely disclaiming, meanwhile, that it was in his power 

 to teach him anything new. 



The voyage of D'Entrecasteaux was in every way 

 successful, except as to finding any trace of La Perouse. 

 He had reached the neighbourhood of Java with hopes 

 of a speedy end of his long cruise. But here misfortunes 



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