BANKS. 5 



of age, was put in possession of his valuable estates in Lincolnshire. 

 Mrs. Banks, soon after the death of her husband, removed with her 

 family from Lincolnshire to Chelsea, as a spot likely to afford her 

 son Joseph peculiar advantages in the study of botany, from the 

 numerous gardens in the vicinity devoted to the culture of rare and 

 curious plants of every description. And now it was that the great 

 merit of Mr. Banks shone forth. With all the incitements which 

 his age^, his figure, and his station naturally presented to leading a 

 life of idleness, -and with a fortune which placed the more vulgar 

 gratifications of sense or of ordinary ambition amply within his 

 reach, he steadily devoted himself to scientific pursuits, and only 

 lived for the studies of a naturalist. He remained out of Parliament, 

 went little into any society but that of learned men, while his 

 relaxation was confined to exercise and to angling, of which he 

 was so fond, that he would devote days and even nights to it. 

 Whilst living at Chelsea, Mr. Banks formed the acquaintance of 

 Lord Sandwich, afterwards first Lord of the Admiralty, who as it 

 happened had the same taste, and to the friendship of whom he 

 was in after life indebted for essential aid in the furtherance of his 

 numerous projects for the advancement of scientific knowledge. 

 Soon after attaining his 21st year, Mr. Banks undertook a voyage 

 to Newfoundland and the Labrador coast, for the purpose of explor- 

 ing the botany of those unfrequented regions. On his return, he 

 brought home valuable collections not only of plants, but also of 

 insects and other natural productions of that district. In 17C8, he 

 obtained leave from Government, through the interest of Lord 

 Sandwich, to embark in the ship commanded by the great navigator 

 Cook, who had been commissioned to observe the transit of Venus 

 in the Pacific ocean, by the observation of which phenomenon the 

 sun's parallax might be measured, and to fulfil also the usual object 

 of a voyage of discovery.* 



In order to turn to the best account all opportunities that might 

 occur during the voyage, Mr. Banks made most careful preparations. 

 He provided himself with the best instruments for making all kinds 

 of scientific observations, and for preserving specimens of natural 

 history, and persuaded Dr. Solander, a distinguished pupil of 

 Linnseus, to become his associate in the enterprise. He also took 

 with him two draughtsmen, to delineate all objects of interest that 

 did not admit of being transported or preserved, and four servants. 

 This voyage occupied three years ; during that period all engaged 

 in it incurred many and severe hardships ; several, including three 

 of the attendants of Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks, losing their lives. 

 The results were highly important, the observations necessary for 

 making the solar parallax were made with perfect success. The 



* The portable observatories used in this expedition were constructed by 

 Smeaton the engineer. Wild's History of the Roy. Soc. vol. 2, p. 37. 



