president’s address. 
651 
Mr. Smith, having returned to Norwich with his second 
son John, after escorting James as far as Wansford on his way 
to Edinburgh, writes: — “Mr. Crowe, Mr. Pitchford, and many 
of your friends have called and enquired after you ” ; and a 
few days later: — “Mr. and Mrs. Rose are well, as also Mr. 
Humphrey.” And Mr. Pitchford writes to J. E Smith on 
December 21st, 1782: — “i had the pleasure this week of 
seeing Mr. Woodward and of supping with him at your father’s, 
where I suppose youwill scarcely conclude that you was forgot.” 31 
It is evident that Smith’s friendship with Norfolk botanists 
began before he had made a name for himself. 
We will now trace the origin of the Linnean Society, of 
which James Edward Smith was the founder. 
The Great Linnaeus died in January, 1778. His only 
surviving son Charles, who had been trained to succeed him in 
his scientific work and appointments, ought to have inherited 
his father’s collections and library ; but his mother, having 
taken a dislike to her son, obliged him to purchase the library, 
manuscripts, herbarium, etc., from her at her own price. In 
May, 1781, Charles Linnaeus was welcomed in London by the 
surviving friends and correspondents of his father, especially 
by Sir John Banks. In November, 1783, the young Linnaeus 
died. As he was unmarried, his museum and library reverted 
to his mother and sisters ; but according to Swedish law, 
the State had a right to inherit part of the possessions of the 
deceased if he held a Professorship in a University. The 
mother, fearing that this rule might take effect, instantly fixed 
on Sir J. Banks as the most likely person to purchase these 
relics at a high price. The sale was hastened for fear the King 
of Sweden, who was on his travels, should oblige the heirs to dis- 
pose of the whole at a cheaper rate to the University of Upsala. 14 
After being in Edinburgh nearly two years, in September, 
1783, James Smith went to London to continue his medical 
studies under Dr. Pitcairn, in the school of which Dr. John 
Hunter was head. But his passion for Natural History being 
paramount, the house of Sir Joseph Banks was more attractive 
VOL X. 
B 
