326 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



cordial wishes that the President should not withdraw 

 from the Chair of the Society, which he has filled so ably 

 and so honourably during a period of forty-two years." 



This message, doubtless, gratified the aged President. 

 Willing to die in harness, and rejoicing at this last friendly 

 touch on the part of his colleagues, he sent them a reply 

 in the following terms : 



" 32 SOHO SQUARE, June i. 



" Sir Joseph Banks begs leave to inform the Council 

 of the Royal Society that his motive for offering his 

 resignation of the office of President was a conviction that 

 old age had so far impaired his sight and his hearing as to 

 render him by no means so well able to perform the duties 

 of that respectable office as he has been. He is gratified 

 in the extreme by finding that the Council think it possible 

 for him to continue his services without detriment to the 

 interests of the Society, and he begs leave to withdraw his 

 resignation, assuring the Council that his utmost exer- 

 tions shall never be wanting to conduct, so far as may 

 be in his power, the affairs of the Society." 



On June 19, 1820, Barrow sent word to Marsden that 

 " Sir Joseph breathed his last at seven o'clock." Thus 

 ended a career of almost unexampled usefulness ; one that 

 left the country better and wiser ; and the whole world 

 indebted for steps in progress and culture to the life 

 and labours of a most worthy English gentleman. 



Records of Banks 's personality are somewhat rarer 

 than is usual with men who have enjoyed the public 

 favour for a long series of years. The few casual refer- 

 ences to him, that have appeared in print, leave him little 

 more than a shadow as to the working of his mind or the 

 inclinations of his heart. His numerous correspondents, 

 almost without exception, display a regard for him that 

 may be called really affectionate. They loved him, and 



