SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 
1 68 
As an instance of his zeal for science may be mentioned the interest he took 
in Sir Charles Blagden’s experiments to determine the power of human beings to 
exist in rooms heated to an excessive temj)erature. Sir Joseph Banks was one of 
the first who plunged into a chamber heated to the temperature of 260 Fahr., 
and was taken out nearly exhausted.* 
The reference to Wedgwood is amplified in the following quotation 
from Barton. This clay is referred to in a despatch by Governor 
Phillip to Lord Sydney, 29th September, 1788 ; — 
It (“ Phillip’s Voyage, 1789 ”) contains a curiosity in the shape of an “ elegant 
vignette ” on the title-page, representing Hope standing in classical attire on 
the shores of Sydney Cove, and addressing words of encouragement to Art and 
Labour, attended by Peace. This vignette was engraved from a medallion, “which 
the ingenious Mr. Wedgwood caused to be modelled from a small piece of clay 
brought from Sydney Cove.” The clay had been sent by Phillip through Lord 
Sydney to Sir Joseph Banks, and had been handed by him to Wedgw'ood for the 
purpose of being chemically analysed . . . An opinion was expressed that it 
might certainly be made the basis of a valuable manufacture for our infant Colony. 
The idea thus suggested was illustrated by the medallion ; and in order to give 
further effect to it. the aid of j)oetic inspiration was sought in the person of 
Dr. Erasmus Darwin — “ a mighty master of unmeaning rhyme,” as Byron called 
him, and an old friend of Wedgwood’s — who wTote the prophetic lines describing 
the “ Visit of Hope to Sydney Cove, near Botany Bay,” published with the vignette 
in Phillip’s Voyage.f 
There is a learned dissertation by Josiah Wedgwood “ On the analysis of a mineral 
substance from New South Wales and in a footnote it is mentioned that 
“ along with the mineral here analysed, Jlr. Wedgwood was presented by Sir 
Joseph Banks with some clay, which !Mr. Wedgw'ood found to be an excellent 
material for pottery, adding that it might certainly become the basis of a valuable 
manufacture for our infant colony there.” Mr. Wedgwood’s analysis of the mineral 
substance referred to in Phillip’s despatch of 6 November, post, p. 3o6, showed 
that it was “ a mixture of fine w'hite sand, a soft white earth, some colourless 
micaceous particles, and a few black ones, re.sembling black mica or blacklead ” ; 
and the result of his experiments was that, in his opinion, “ this substance is a 
pure species of plumbago or blacklead, not taken notice of by any wTiter.” The 
clay analysed by ilr. Wedgwood was made into a medallion ; ante, p. 244.§ 
Wedgwood’s cameos are still further referred to by Darwin in the 
following lines, and footnote : — 
Prom the poor fetter'd Slave j on bended knee. 
From Britam’s sons imploring to be free ; 
Or with fair Hope the brightening scenes improve. 
And clear the dreary wastes at Sydney Cove.*” 
•“JouTiialol the Kiglit Hon. Sir .Joseph Banks,” eJited liy Sir Joseph I). Hooker, x.xxiii. 
(Biograjihical sketches). Ste V eld, ii, 114, for further particulars. 
t “ History of New South Wales from the Records,” Barton, Vol. i (1783-1789), p. 243-4. 
t Phil. Trims., xvi, 667 (1790). 
§ Barton, op. cit., p. 340, footnote. 
II Alluding to two cameos of Mr. Wedgwood’s manufacture ; one of a slave in chains, of which 
he distributed many hundreds, to excite the humane to attend to and to assist in the abolition 
of the detestabie traflic in human creatures: and the other a cameo of Hope attended by Peace, 
and Art, and Labour, which was made of clay from Botany Bay ; to which place he sent many 
of them to show the inhabitants what their materials would do, and to encourage their industry. 
A print of this latter medallion is prefixed to Mr. Stockdale’s edition of “ Phillip’s Expedition to 
Botany Bay.” 
^ Erasmus Darwin, " The Botanic Garden,” p. 87. 
