380' SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 



entirely from animal food; but if the fits were less 

 severe, their recurrence was more frequent. Small 

 doses of Husson's medicine were latterly resorted to with 

 considerable effect; and with his wonted sagacity and 

 firmness he met the objections of those who urged how 

 certain the tendency of that cure was to shorten life, by 

 asking "how many years they supposed he could hope to 

 live if he took none of it V At last he gradually sank 

 under the exhausting effects of this ailment, after having 

 for a considerable length of time entirely lost the use of 

 his lower limbs. He died at his villa of Spring Grove, 

 Hounslow, 19th June, 1820, in the seventy-eighth year of 

 his age, after suffering with the greatest cheerfulness for 

 many years the pains of this tormenting malady, and its 

 debilitating effects, much more intolerable to one of his 

 active habits and strong animal spirits. 



The directions of his will were characteristic of his 

 tastes as a lover of science, and its provisions truly marked 

 the man, ever careless of the fame of great and good 

 actions, and only intent on performing them. To Mr. 

 Brown, his librarian, he gave an annuity of 200/., with 

 the use of his library and collections, on condition that 

 he should continue his studies in natural history, and 

 assist in superintending the Botanic Garden at Kew. 

 To Mr. Bauer, who had been his draughtsman for thirty 

 years, he gave an annuity of 300/., on condition of his 

 continuing to reside at Kew, and to carry on the draw- 

 ings of the Kew plants. He gave the whole collection of 

 the Kew drawings to the King, and strongly recommended 

 the appointment of a resident draughtsman, being of 

 opinion that no botanic garden can be complete without 

 one. He adds, that he had hoped this truth would have 



