274 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



mand in 1811, he soon found out Dr. Horsfield, and gave 

 the whole weight of his authority to protecting and 

 assisting him. He was himself a botanist ; and the two 

 together did a prodigious amount of work, the results 

 rinding their way in the end to the British Museum 

 collection. After five years at Java, Raffles went in 

 1818 to command in Sumatra, and worked there a 

 similar revolution in the order of things. Although a 

 young man, and the envy of some of his fellow-officers, 

 Raffles early secured the notice of Sir Joseph Banks, who 

 naturally detected his great promise ; and their corre- 

 spondence became very friendly. 



At Calcutta, a new man was coming to the fore. 

 This was Dr. Nathaniel Wallich, a Dane, who entered 

 the East India Company's service. He was made 

 superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Garden in 

 1815, and carried it on in great perfection for many 

 years. His letters to Banks are exclusively botanical, 

 but they bear unmistakable signs of devotion to his 

 pursuit. 



Soon after the conclusion of peace, in 1814, the Curator 

 at Kew Gardens made it his business to revive the 

 question of sending out plant-collectors. He told Sir 

 Joseph that he had in view several young gardeners, 

 men of sound principles and invaluable zeal for the 

 service, and having the requisite knowledge ; he wished 

 to lay the matter before the Prince Regent if Sir Joseph 

 agreed that the time was auspicious. Banks wrote 

 in reply, full of his old alacrity. He thought the Cape 

 of Good Hope and New South Wales were the most 

 productive places for a new research, and there were 

 other places he should wish to be visited. 



Banks had now a new race of officials to deal with. 

 Men had arisen who knew not Sir Joseph, in the sense 

 of being an applicant for public money. There is a very 

 good letter to Mr. George Harrison (dated September, 



