RISE OF NEW LEARNED SOCIETIES 257 



After the death of Linnaeus, his entire collection of books, 

 papers, cabinets, and herbarium was offered to Sir Joseph 

 Banks for the sum of one thousand guineas. There was 

 breakfasting with him, when the message arrived, James 

 Edward Smith (a young pupil of Dr. Hope), who was 

 recently come to London, and welcomed in the coterie of 

 Soho Square. Smith's father was a member of the 

 renowned Norwich circle, and was prepared to smooth the 

 young man's path in the study of Natural Science. 



Banks was not disposed to make the purchase, but 

 strongly counselled his friend to do so. Other men urged 

 him. Mr. Smith, senior, after some hesitation consented 

 to help his son to conclude the bargain. A bargain it 

 really was : two thousand volumes of books, about four- 

 teen thousand plants, and seven thousand shells, insects, 

 mineral specimens, and birds in glass cases. After delays 

 and dangers, and an escape from the design of the King 

 of Sweden to intercept it, this precious cargo reached the 

 Thames in October, 1784. 



Dr. Smith presently resolved on forming a new institu- 

 tion for the exclusive promotion of Natural History 

 studies. Thus arose the Linnean Society of London. 

 He became the first President. In two years the Society 

 had over one hundred members and associates. Banks 

 gave it his hearty support. With his usual liberality, his 

 purse was opened for their assistance. For example, he 

 bore the entire cost of the copper and engraving of the 

 twenty plates in the first volume of the Society's Trans- 

 actions. 



In the case of the Geological Society, Banks withdrew 

 from membership ostensibly on the ground that the 

 Council had deviated from its first principles. Really, 

 Sir Joseph wanted the Society to be as an assistant 

 association to the Royal Society. The body of the 

 members preferred entire independence. Apparently 

 there were no breaches of friendship over the matter. 



