4 BANKS. 



well fitted for the earnest consideration of all who imagine that the 

 energies of their minds can alone be satisfied by stirring scenes or 

 a life full of activity and adventure. Mr. Baily's last public appear- 

 ance was at Oxford, to which place he went with some difficulty, to 

 receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law. He was dis- 

 tinguished by great industry, which was made more effective by his 

 methodical habits ; and also by a suavity of manner which greatly 

 enlarged the circle of his friends. In fact, Mr. Baily effected in the 

 last 20 years of his life, a greater number of complete and refined 

 researches than most other philosophers have accomplished during 

 a whole lifetime. Memoir of Francis Baily, by Sir John Herschel, 

 Bart. London, 1856. 



SIR JOSEPH BANKS, BART., C.B,, P.R.S. 



MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE, ETC. 



Born February 12, 1743. Died June 19, 1820. 



Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society for upwards of 

 forty years, was born in Argyle Street, London, He was the eldest 

 son of Mr. W. Banks, a gentleman of considerable landed property, 

 whose family was originally of Swedish extraction, although it had 

 been settled in England for several generations. The early life of 

 Joseph Banks was passed principally at Revesby Hall, his father's 

 seat in Lincolnshire, and his education was for several years en- 

 trusted to a private tutor ; in his ninth year he was sent to Harrow 

 and four years after to Eton, from whence he proceeded to Christ's 

 College, Oxford. 



During his residence at college, he made considerable progress in 

 classical knowledge, but evinced at the same time a decided predi- 

 lection for the study of natural history. Botany in particular was 

 his favourite occupation, and one to which his leisure hours were 

 devoted with enthusiastic ardour and perseverance. An anecdote is 

 told of Mr. Banks being on one occasion so intent on exploring 

 ditches and secluded spots, in search of rare plants, as to have 

 excited the suspicions of some countrymen, who, conceiving that 

 he could have no innocent design in acting thus, seized the young 

 naturalist, when he had fallen asleep exhausted with fatigue, and 

 brought him as a suspected thief before a neighbouring magistrate. 

 After a strict investigation he was soon liberated, but the incident 

 occasioned much amusement in the neighbourhood. 



In the year 1761 Mr. Banks lost his father, and in 1764, on coming 



