368 SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 



the Society for any philosophic attainments; while the 

 opposite party, in availing themselves of Mr. Poore's and 

 Mr. Watson's aid, had advocates who were respected in 

 the literary world, 



The main charge used in these debates against the 

 President, was his interference with elections; and this 

 was loudly objected to, both as overbearing, even 

 despotic, and as having excluded several persons, worthy 

 of the honour they sought. The general objection was 

 wholly groundless. Sir Joseph Banks only interfered as 

 he was bound by the duty of his office to interfere ; and 

 if his frank and manly nature, despising all indirect roads 

 to his object, scorning all covert proceedings to attain 

 that which he felt bound to seek the honour and the 

 advantage of the Society made him openly state his 

 objections to candidates, and openly ask his brethren 

 to join in rejecting them, instead of canvassing against 

 them in the dark, no better reason can be assigned for 

 loudly applauding the course which he took. That he 

 might have committed mistakes in one or two instances 

 is equally certain. The rejection of Major Desbarres, 

 already mentioned as a pupil of Bernoulli's, and the 

 instructor of Captain Cook, and soon after appointed to 

 a foreign government, was the strongest case cited ; the 

 only other person of admitted merit, among the twelve 

 black-balled in four years, was Mr. Henry Clarke of 

 Manchester, schoolmaster, and a writer of some merit 

 on mathematical subjects; and all admitted that the 

 President's interference had proved most useful to the 

 Society's honour, in carrying the rejection of four or five 

 unworthy candidates. These, under the old and lax 

 system, would in all probability have found their way 



