i8n Sir Joseph Banks and his Parties 237 



the latter ; he sat apparently so much at his ease, both 

 at the Society and in the Club, and conducted the business 

 of the meetings with so much spirit and dignity, that a 

 stranger would not have supposed that he was often suffer- 

 ing at the time, nor even have observed an infirmity, which 

 never disturbed his uniform cheerfulness." x 



So too at his gatherings in Soho Square, though ( unable 

 to stroll among his guests as he had been wont to do, he 

 was wheeled to and fro through their midst, giving a kindly 

 welcome to every one around him, and with an ear as eager 

 as ever to listen to an account of the latest research in 

 science, the newest tidings of botanical exploration, or the 

 last news of geographical discovery. Sir Henry Holland, 

 who attended these assemblies, has left an interesting picture 

 of the impression they left on his memory, which may be 

 appropriately quoted here : 



" Sir Joseph Banks himself was necessarily a very conspicuous 

 personage in these parties at his house. Seated and wheeled about 

 in his arm-chair his limbs helplessly knotted with gouty tumours, 

 speaking no other language than English, and carrying his scientific 

 knowledge little beyond the domain of natural history, he neverthe- 

 less looked the governing power of the Royal Society, and was such 

 in reality. His massive eyebrows themselves were an element of 

 weight. I had frequent occasion to notice the strong impression 

 his aspect and demeanour made upon foreigners, men of science 

 and others, who came over to England at this period of renewed 

 Continental intercourse. It is less paradoxical than it may seem, 

 to say that this impression was strengthened by the very fact of 

 his not speaking any foreign language. Silence often carries more 

 weight with it than speech, and especially when the latter is 

 encumbered by the effort to find words for its object. Sir Joseph 

 Banks, silent in his Chair, was more imposing than he would have 

 been if exchanging imperfect phrases, whether of science or of 

 courtesy, with the strangers who came to visit him." 2 



At the Annual General Meeting on July nth, at which 

 twenty members were present, Sir Joseph Banks, the Presi- 

 dent, in the chair, the Treasurer submitted his financial 

 statement, which showed that the disbursements on account 

 of tavern-bills amounted to 57 8s., and that there was a 



1 Sketches of the Royal Society, p. 41. ' 2 Recollections, pp. 215-6. 



