1771 Return of Captain Cook 1 1 3 



Attorney-General. Returning to England he eventually 

 became Cursitor Baron of the Exchequer. He wrote on 

 mathematics, politics, economics and history. His interest 

 in the history of mathematics led him to produce a laborious 

 work, Scriptores Logarithmici, in six volumes quarto. He 

 was a cultivated and large-minded bachelor, who lived to 

 be past 92. In his old age he would sometimes forget that 

 he had a party in the evening, but if his mind were led back 

 to the details of some distant period, his memory seemed 

 to be as clear and full as ever. The classical studies of his 

 youth continued to delight him to the last. He was a 

 staunch Whig. Of the wealth which he inherited he made 

 a generous use, especially in helping charities and the poor. 

 He became F.R.S. on May 2nd this year. 



The Hon. Constantine John Phipps, who dined on De- 

 cember 1 2th on the invitation of Banks, joined the Navy 

 in 1760 when he was 16 years of age. Afterwards he entered 

 Parliament as member for Lincoln. But he continued on 

 the active list in the Navy. Two years after he dined with 

 the Club he commanded the Racehorse in the Arctic expedi- 

 tion already referred to (p. 57). He succeeded to his father's 

 title in 1775 and became Lord Mulgrave. Three years later, 

 commanding the Courageux, he distinguished himself in the 

 action off Ushant. 



Captain James Cook, fresh from his great voyage and 

 universally hailed as one of the greatest navigators that 

 the Navy had ever possessed, dined with the Club on 2ist 

 November on the invitation of Dr. Maskelyne, and next 

 week as the guest of Banks. The latter had lost no time 

 in reporting himself at the Club and paying his admission 

 fee. The Endeavour cast anchor in the Downs on I2th July 

 and Banks dined with the Club on the 25th of that month. 

 He would have a warm welcome from James Burrow, the 

 Chairman, Sir John Pringle, Henry Cavendish, Maskelyne, 

 Dr. Watson, Dyer, and the other members then assembled. 



