SOME FRIENDS OF LATER YEARS 301 



science, but he required to be regarded as a patron, and 

 readily swallowed gross flattery. When he gave anecdotes 

 of his voyages he was very entertaining and unaffected. 

 A courtier in character, he was a warm friend to a good 

 King. In his relations to the Royal Society he was too 

 personal, and made his house a circle too like a Court/ 1 



Some of these statements might with justice be dis- 

 puted ; but controversy is needless upon the subject. 



After a temporary chairmanship of the Royal Society 

 by Dr. Wollaston, Davy succeeded to the Presidential 

 seat, and held it until 1827. He found it incumbent upon 

 him, like his predecessor, to keep up some appearance 

 of State, and occupied the chair in full Court-dress. 

 He continued Banks's practice in weekly receptions, 

 changing the evening from Sunday to Saturday. " He 

 had to put up with the annoyances caused by hurting 

 the feelings of rejected Fellows." 1 



According to Dr. Paris, Sir Humphry Davy " sought 

 for the homage due to patrician distinction/' and thereby 

 incurred some unpopularity. 2 



Of other rising young men who enjoyed Banks's inti- 

 macy near the end of his life, several should be mentioned 

 who afterward rose to great distinction. 



William Edward Parry was introduced to Banks in the 

 year 1818, by his friend Barrow. The young Lieutenant 

 availed himself gratefully of the opportunities thus 

 offered, by making free use of Banks's library, and attend- 

 ing his social functions. These, he remarks, were " not 

 like those of fashionable life, but given from a real desire 

 to do everything which could, in the smallest degree, 

 tend to the advancement of every branch of science." 



Charles Waterton speaks very highly of Banks's 

 attentions to him, and his appreciation of Waterton 's 

 services to Natural History. Some portions of his manu- 



1 v. Memoir by his brother Dr. John Davy. 

 8 Life, by Dr. J. A. Paris. 



