FAILING HEALTH, BUT UNFLAGGING ZEAL 287 



it by Belzoni. This last precious item was brought by 

 Sir John Soane. It remains one of the most treasured 

 objects at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields. 



Sir Benjamin Brodie, President of the Royal Society 

 in 1858, was another of the younger men associated with 

 the veteran Banks. He was a pupil of Sir Everard Home, 

 through whose friendship he was introduced at Soho 

 Square ; and presently attracted Banks 's notice as a 

 diligent student in chemistry and anatomy. He became 

 a F.R.S. in 1810. The Copley medal was awarded him in 

 the following year. 



In his autobiography, Brodie offers some personal 

 recollections of Sir Joseph Banks : "He invited me 

 to the meetings which were held in his library on the 

 Sunday evenings which intervened between the meetings 

 of the Royal Society. These were of a very different 

 kind from those larger assemblies which were held three 

 or four times in the season by the Duke of Sussex, the 

 Marquis of Northampton, and Lord Rosse, and they 

 were much more useful. There was no crowding together 

 of noblemen and philosophers and would-be philosophers, 

 nor any kind of magnificent display. The visitors con- 

 sisted of those who were already distinguished by their 

 scientific reputation ; of some younger men who, like 

 myself, were following these greater persons at a humble 

 distance ; of a few individuals of high station who, though 

 not working men themselves, were regarded by Sir Joseph 

 as patrons of Science ; of such foreigners of distinction 

 as during the war were to be found in London ; and of 

 very few besides. Everything was conducted in the 

 plainest manner. Tea was handed round to the company, 

 and there were no other refreshments. But here were 

 to be seen the elder Herschel, Wilson the Sanscrit scholar, 

 Marsden, Major Rennell, Henry Cavendish, Home, 

 Barrow, Blagden, Abernethy, Carlisle, and others. . . . 



