BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 



that a stranger would not have supposed that he was often 

 suffering at the time, nor even have observed an infirmity, 

 which never disturbed his uniform cheerfulness. 



" As the gout increased his difficulty of locomotion, Sir 

 Joseph found it convenient to have some spot to retire to 

 in the neighbourhood of London, and fixed upon a small 

 villa near Hounslow Heath, called Spring Grove, consisting 

 of some woods and a good garden laid out with ornamental 

 shrubs and flower-beds, and neatly kept under the inspection 

 of Lady and Miss Banks " (his sister) [Barrow, loc. cit. 

 pp. 40-42]. Since his death the building has been pulled 

 down and replaced by a mansion now in the possession of 

 A. Pears, Esq. 



The last occasion on which Banks took the chair at the 

 Eoyal Society was on 16th March 1820. In May, declining 

 health led him to announce his resignation of the Presidency, 

 which he had held for over forty-one years ; but the universal 

 desire which was expressed, both by the Council of the 

 Society and by the king himself, that he would retain the 

 office, induced him to withdraw his resignation. He died, 

 however, very shortly afterwards at Spring Grove, on the 

 19th June 1820, leaving a widow but no lineal issue. 



He was buried at Heston, Middlesex, in which parish 

 Spring Grove is situated. The church has since been 

 rebuilt, and now covers the spot where he was buried. A 

 tablet with a simple inscription marks as nearly as possible 

 the place where his body lies. By his will he expressly 

 desires that his body be interred in the most private manner 

 in the church or churchyard of the parish in which he 

 should happen to die, and entreats his dear relatives to 

 spare themselves the affliction of attending the ceremony, 

 and earnestly requests that they will not erect any monu- 

 ment to his memory. 



In July of the same year the Council of the Eoyal Society 

 resolved to erect a full-length marble statue of Sir Joseph 

 Banks, to be executed by Mr. (afterwards Sir Francis) 

 Chantrey. A sum of 2000 was subscribed, of which 525 

 was paid to the sculptor, the surplus being devoted to an 



