EUROPEAN FAME 195 



manner that does honour to the King's liberal mind 

 and the proper discrimination of his Librarian." 



The spoil thus disposed of, Sir Joseph had probably 

 begun his self-imposed task of examination and selec- 

 tion, graciously accepted by the Queen. Five months 

 elapsed. Then representations were made, apparently 

 from Jussieu, which caused Banks to look at the recent 

 windfall in a new light. The French Directory wished to 

 rescue the Prize on behalf of their nation. There were 

 those in England who objected to the restoration of the 

 Collection, and used the strong language of the period, 

 about Regicides and Cockatrices ; but they mostly 

 yielded to Banks's opinion on the subject. The following 

 excellent letter tells the whole story, from his point of 

 view. 



Sir Joseph Banks to Major Price. 



" August 4, 1796. 



" MY DEAR SIR, Since I had the honour of writing to 

 you on the subject of the Collection of Curiosities offered 

 by the Due d'Harcourt as a present to the Queen, the 

 whole of the business relating to these things has taken a 

 very different form. I sincerely hope it will not be pro- 

 ductive of any disappointment to Her Majesty, and I 

 feel it my duty to do all in my power to obviate as much 

 as I am able all possibility of that being the case. 



" When the Collection was offered to the Queen it was 

 supposed by all who were concerned in making the offer 

 that it belonged to the present King of France ; and it 

 was believed that the late King interested himself 

 personally in directing the outfit of the voyage, and that 

 His Majesty actually employed on his own service the 

 persons engaged to make Collections. An application 

 having since been made by the Directory of France, 

 requesting that the collection might be returned to 

 M. de Billardiere, in the same manner as M. Ulloa's papers 



