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MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE, ETC.

Born February 12, 1743. Died June 19, 1820.

Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society for upwards of forty years, was born in Argyle Street, London. He was the eldest son of Mr. W. Banks, a gentleman of considerable landed property, whose family was originally of Swedish extraction, although it had been settled in England for several generations. The early life of Joseph Banks was passed principally at Revesby Hall, his father's seat in Lincolnshire, and his education was for several years entrusted to a private tutor; in his ninth year he was sent to Harrow and four years after to Eton, from whence he proceeded to Christ's College, Oxford.

During his residence at college, he made considerable progress in classical knowledge, but evinced at the same time a decided predilection for the study of natural history. Botany in particular was his favourite occupation, and one to which his leisure hours were devoted with enthusiastic ardour and perseverance. An anecdote is told of Mr. Banks being on one occasion so intent on exploring ditches and secluded spots, in search of rare plants, as to have excited the suspicions of some countrymen, who, conceiving that he could have no innocent design in acting thus, seized the young naturalist, when he had fallen asleep exhausted with fatigue, and brought him as a suspected thief before a neighbouring magistrate. After a strict investigation he was soon liberated, but the incident occasioned much amusement in the neighbourhood.

In the year 1761 Mr. Banks lost his father, and in 1764, on coming of age, was put in possession of his valuable estates in Lincolnshire. Mrs. Banks, soon after the death of her husband, removed with her family from Lincolnshire to Chelsea, as a spot likely to afford her son Joseph peculiar advantages in the study of botany, from the numerous gardens in the vicinity devoted to the culture of rare and curious plants of every description. And now it was that the great merit of Mr. Banks shone forth. With all the incitements which his age, his figure, and his station naturally presented to leading a life of idleness, and with a fortune which placed the more vulgar gratifications of sense or of ordinary ambition amply within his reach, he steadily devoted himself to scientific pursuits, and only lived for the studies of a naturalist. He remained out of Parliament, went little into any society but that of learned men, while his relaxation was confined to exercise and to angling, of which he was so fond, that he would devote days and even nights to it. Whilst living at Chelsea, Mr. Banks formed the acquaintance of Lord Sandwich, afterwards first Lord of the Admiralty, who as it happened had the same taste, and to the friendship of whom he was in after life indebted for essential aid in the furtherance of his numerous projects for the advancement of scientific knowledge. Soon after attaining his 21st year, Mr. Banks undertook a voyage to Newfoundland and the Labrador coast, for the purpose of exploring the botany of those unfrequented regions. On his return, he brought home valuable collections not only of plants, but also of insects and other natural productions of that district. In 1768, he obtained leave from Government, through the interest of Lord Sandwich, to embark in the ship commanded by the great navigator Cook, who had been commissioned to observe the transit of Venus in the Pacific ocean, by the observation of which phenomenon the sun's parallax might be measured, and to fulfil also the usual object of a voyage of discovery.[1]

In order to turn to the best account all opportunities that might occur during the voyage, Mr. Banks made most careful preparations. He provided himself with the best instruments for making all kinds of scientific observations, and for preserving specimens of natural history, and persuaded Dr. Solander, a distinguished pupil of Linnæus, to become his associate in the enterprise. He also took with him two draughtsmen, to delineate all objects of interest that did not admit of being transported or preserved, and four servants. This voyage occupied three years; during that period all engaged in it incurred many and severe hardships; several, including three of the attendants of Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks, losing their lives. The results were highly important, the observations necessary for making the solar parallax were made with perfect success. The manners of the natives in the Society Islands had been examined, and the singular state of their society ascertained. Their products, vegetable, mineral, and animal, as well as those of New Holland, New Zealand, and New Guinea, had been fully explored, and a considerable share of the fame, which accrued to Captain Cook and his associates in the enterprise, was due to Mr. Banks, who brought home a splendid collection of specimens from those countries.

No sooner had Mr. Banks returned from this expedition than he commenced, with unabated vigour after a few months repose, preparations for another. Having been prevented from joining Captain Cook's second expedition, chiefly through the influence of Sir Hugh Pallisser with the admiralty, he undertook the equipment of a ship at his own expense; and, taking with him Dr. Solander, Dr. Lind, Dr. Von Troil, a Swedish naturalist, and others, he sailed for Iceland in 1772. After exploring during two months that interesting region of volcanoes he returned to England, enriched with many valuable specimens, and still more valuable information respecting the productions of the country. A fine collection of books and manuscripts were purchased and presented by Mr. Banks to the British Museum, and Dr. Von Troil, in whose hands Mr. Banks, with his wonted aversion to literary fame, left the subject, published a full and interesting account of the voyage.

A great part of the knowledge resulting from the various travels of Mr. Banks were communicated by him, at different times, in papers to the Royal Society, of which he had been elected a fellow as early as the year 1766. On the resignation of Sir John Pringle, in 1778, Mr. Banks was elected President of this Society, an honour he continued to hold until his death. During the whole of his life Sir Joseph enjoyed the favour of the king, forming a kind of connecting link between his scientific compeers, and the courtly circles of the aristocracy. In 1781 he was made a baronet; in 1795 was invested with the order of the bath; and, in 1797, became a member of the privy council. He did not, however, engage much in politics, but used the influence he had acquired chiefly in the promotion of scientific objects, and the encouragement of those who pursued them.

Sir Joseph Banks's published works bear little proportion either to his scientific labours or his exertions on behalf of learned men, nor are his real claims to the gratitude of posterity much known. He it was who may truly be said to have planted and founded the colony of Botany Bay. He was the real founder of the African Association, and by his scientific exertions the productions of other climates were diffused over each portion of the globe. Thus he brought over into Europe the seeds of the South Sea lands, having previously distributed to the latter those of Europe. To him are we indebted for many of the beautiful plants which adorn our gardens and shrubberies. The sugar-cane of Otaheite was transplanted by him into the colonies, the bread fruit tree of the Pacific introduced into the tropical soil of America, and the flax of New Zealand brought into Europe. While among animals, the black swan and the kangaroo were brought from Australia and introduced into this country by this eminent man.

Sir Joseph Banks was married but had no family. He continued to fill the honourable office of President of the Royal Society for the unprecedented period of nearly forty-two years, enjoying, during that time, the correspondence and confidence of most of the distinguished men of learning both of this and other nations. His name was enrolled amongst the associates of almost every academy and learned society in Europe. His house and table were ever open for the reception and entertainment of all those who were eminent for their scientific attainments, with that spirit of liberality so conducive to the union of interests and co-operation of efforts, requisite for the cultivation of knowledge. During the latter part of his life Sir Joseph Banks was a great sufferer from the gout, and during the last fourteen years was almost deprived of the use of his feet and legs. At last, he gradually sank under the exhausting effects of this ailment, and died at his villa at Spring Grove, Hounslow, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. He was succeeded in the chair of the Royal Society by Dr. Wollaston for the remainder of the year, until the election of Sir Humphry Davy on the anniversary of the Society in November.—Memoir of Sir J. Banks, by Dr. P. M. Roget, Encyclopædia Britannica, Eighth Edition.—Welds' History of the Royal Society, with Memoirs of the Presidents. London, 1848.—Brougham's Lives of Philosophers. London and Glasgow, 1855.