Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 03.djvu/135

  as chief commissioner, but he survived his chief only a few weeks. In Sir John Inglis's memorable despatch on the defence of the Lucknow residency, the death of Major Banks was noticed in the following terms:—‘The garrison had scarcely recovered the shock which it had sustained in the loss of its revered and beloved general, when it had to mourn the death of that able and respected officer, Major Banks, who received a bullet through his head while examining a critical outpost on 21 July, and died without a groan.’

Major Banks was a man of excellent judgment and tact, able and industrious in the discharge of his official duties, a brave soldier, and an excellent linguist. His widow, a daughter of Major-general R. B. Fearon, C.B., received a special pension from the India Office in recognition of her husband's services.



BANKS, JOSEPH (1743–1820), president of the Royal Society, born at Argyle Street, London, on 13 Feb. 1743–4, was the only son of William Banks of Revesby Abbey in Lincolnshire, and Sarah, daughter of William Bate. He received his early education under a private tutor, and at the age of nine was sent to Harrow School, and thence transferred to Eton when thirteen. He was described as being well disposed and good-tempered, but so immoderately fond of play that his attention could not be fixed to his studies. At fourteen his tutor had the satisfaction of seeing a change come over his pupil, which Banks afterwards explained as follows. One fine summer evening he had stayed bathing in the Thames so long, that he found that all his companions had gone. Walking back leisurely along a lane, the sides of which were clothed with flowers, he was so struck by their beauty as to resolve to add botany to the classical studies imposed by authority. He submitted to be instructed by the women employed in culling simples to supply the druggists' shops, paying sixpence for each material item of information. During his next holidays, to his extreme delight he found a book in his mother's dressing-room, which not only described the plants he had met, but also gave engravings of them. This proved to be Gerard's ‘Herball,’ and although one of its covers was gone and several of its leaves were lost, he carried it back to school in triumph, and was soon able to turn the tables upon his former instructors.

He left Eton in his eighteenth year, but lost the last half-year of his education there. He had been taken home to be inoculated for small-pox, but the first attempt failed, and when he had fully recovered from the second it was thought fit to send him to Oxford. He was accordingly entered a gentleman commoner at Christ Church in December 1760.

His liking for botany increased while at the university, and he warmly embraced the other branches of natural history. Finding that no lectures were given in botany, he sought and obtained from the professor permission to procure a teacher to be paid by the students. He then went by stage-coach to Cambridge, and brought back with him Mr. Israel Lyons, astronomer and botanist, who afterwards published a small book on the Cambridge flora. Many years subsequently Lyons, through the interest of Banks, was appointed astronomer under Captain Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, on his voyage towards the North Pole.

Banks's father died in 1761 during his first year at Oxford, leaving him an ample fortune and estate at Revesby. He left Oxford in December 1763. In February 1764 he came of age and took possession of his paternal fortune. He had already attracted attention in the university by his superior attainments in natural history; and in May 1766 he was elected fellow of the Royal Society. During the same summer he went to Newfoundland to collect plants with his friend Lieutenant Phipps. He returned to England during the following winter by way of Lisbon. After his return an intimacy was established between Dr. Daniel Solander and himself, which was only ended by the death of the former. Solander had been a favourite pupil of Linnæus, and at the time when Banks first came to know him was employed as an assistant librarian at the British Museum. He afterwards became Banks's companion round the world, and subsequently his librarian until his death.

By his influence with Lord Sandwich, first lord of the admiralty, Banks obtained permission to accompany Cook's expedition in the Endeavour, equipped at his own expense, taking with him Dr. Solander, two draughtsmen—Mr. Buchan for landscape, and Mr. Sydney Parkinson for objects of natural history—and two attendants. The journal which he kept was largely utilised by Dr. Hawkesworth in his relation of the voyages of Carteret, Wallis, and Cook. Thence we learn that the Endeavour left Plymouth on a fair wind on the afternoon of 25 Aug. 1768.