DR. SOLANDER 



that institution, and in 1764 elected a Fellow of the Eoyal 

 Society. It was in 1 7 6 7 that he first made the acquaintance 

 of Banks, who, when he had in the following year resolved to 

 accompany Cook to the Pacific, induced Solander to go with 

 him. His situation in the Museum was kept open for him, a 

 deputy being put in to act during his absence with Banks. 



An extract from a letter from Ellis to Linnseus gives a 

 clear idea of the arrangements made for the journey : 



I must now inform you that Joseph Banks, Esq., a gentleman of 

 6000 per annum estate, has prevailed on your pupil, Dr. Solander, 

 to accompany him in the ship that carries the English astronomers to 

 the new-discovered country in the South Sea l . . . where they are to 

 collect all the natural curiosities of the place, and, after the astronomers 

 have finished their observations on the transit of Venus, they are to 

 proceed under the direction of Mr. Banks, by order of the Lords of 

 the Admiralty, on further discoveries. . . . No people ever went to 

 sea better fitted out for the purpose of natural history, nor more 

 elegantly. They have got a fine library of natural history : they have 

 all sorts of machines for catching and preserving insects ; all kinds of 

 nets, trawls, drags, and hooks for coral fishing ; they have even a 

 curious contrivance of a telescope by which, put into the water, you 

 can see the bottom at a great depth, where it is clear. They have 

 many cases of bottles with ground stoppers, of several sizes, to preserve 

 animals in spirits. They have the several sorts of salts to surround the 

 seeds ; and wax, both bees'-wax and that of the Myrica ; besides, there 

 are many people whose sole business it is to attend them for this very 

 purpose. They have two painters and draughtsmen, several volunteers 

 who have a tolerable notion of natural history ; in short, Solander 

 assured me this expedition would cost Mr. Banks 10,000. . . . 

 About three days ago I took my leave of Solander, when he assured 

 me he would write to you and to all his family, and acquaint them 

 with the particulars of this expedition. I must observe to you that 

 his places are secured to him, and he has promises from persons in 

 power of much better preferment on his return. Everybody here 

 parted from him with reluctance, for no man was ever more beloved, 

 and in so great esteem with the public from his affable and polite 

 behaviour. 



On his return from the South Seas, Dr. Solander was 

 installed under Banks's roof in Soho Square as his secretary 

 and librarian ; and at the British Museum he was advanced 

 to the post of under-librarian. A short time after his return 



1 The Society Islands. 



