224 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



was a Botanist before everything, and, while New South 

 Wales was struggling from the condition of a much- 

 handicapped settlement into that of a prosperous agricul- 

 tural Colony, his eye was eagerly and constantly turned 

 toward the indigenous Flora of the country. This is, in 

 some respects, one of the most important of Banks's 

 utilitarian efforts ; for it opened a profoundly important 

 era in the advance of Botanical Science. 



Few things delighted Banks more than finding a new 

 Botanist. One day in March, 1795, he received a letter 

 from a distant admirer at Manchester, who wished to 

 gain employment as botanist. He knew something of 

 farming, and of horse-keeping, but wished to be more 

 in touch with the study of Nature. He sent a Drosera, 

 and one or two other items of his own gathering. It was 

 the letter of a person in humble life, who was getting 

 a sort of education through books and observation. 

 Banks, with unfailing good-nature, promptly replied. 



Sir Joseph Banks to George Caley. 



(March, 1795.) " SIR, I do not know there is any 

 trade by which less money has been got than by that of 

 Botany. ... If you wish to apply yourself to the study, 

 the only means I know of raising yourself into notice is 

 to learn the names of the curious plants cultivated in the 

 Botanic Gardens. English Botany is well known to many 

 persons in the country, who practise it as an amusement. 

 Nothing, therefore, is likely to be got except in the 

 exotic line ; and in that, unless you are both diligent and 

 fortunate, you will not succeed. If you have bodily 

 health and strength, and understand the business of a 

 gardener's labourer : that is, I believe, the only good 

 method of getting instruction. We have several foreigners 

 who every year enter in that capacity in the King's 



