"SIR, SIR J. BANKS TO M. CHARRETIE. "August 10th, 1796. "I have great pleasure in acquainting you that I am now fully empowered to deliver to you the collection made by M. de Billardiere, in order to their being put on board the next Cartel ship, and conveyed by you to that gentleman. "If you will do me the honour of calling in Soho Square, at any time to-morrow before twelve o'clock, I shall have great pleasure in consulting with you on the proper mode of packing them safely for the voyage, and also on the time which you choose to have them conveyed to the place from whence they are to be put on board: matters which, I apprehend, cannot be so well settled any where as on the spot where the collection now is." M. CHARRETIE TO SIR J. BANKS. "Walcot Place, le 10 Août, 1796. "M. Charretié fait bien ses complimens à Monsieur le Chevalier Banks, et ne doutant pas que ce ne soit à ses demarches que le Gouvernement Français soit redevable de la remise de la collection de M. la Billardière, il peut être persuadé de la reconnoissance du Directoire Exécutif. M. Charretié aura l'honneur d'aller demain avant midi témoigner à Monsieur Banks toute sa gratitude particulière pour ses bons offices, et conférer des moyens les plus propres à faire l'envoi de la collection dont il s'agit." II. THE very imperfect manner in which the attempts to write Sir Joseph Banks's Life have been made we have already had occasion to remark, as well as the errors which have been introduced into the accounts hitherto given of that eminent person. There is but too much reason to fear that this work ill supplies the defect in our scientific history, owing, among other things, to his having strictly ordered all his letters and other manuscripts to be destroyed. But errors have been corrected, and it is hoped that some important particulars have been given. Among the accounts hitherto offered to the world those of the French writers are beyond all comparison the most erroneous and indeed fanciful. The Biographie Universelle' may be cited as peculiarly abounding in such inventions.— The statement that Sir Joseph allowed Dr. Solander a salary or pension of 400l. a-year I believe to be wholly groundless: the sum would have been preposterous, especially considering that the Doctor enjoyed a considerable place in the British Museum. The institution of the Copley Medal is said to be for "the experiments the most useful to the preservation of lives," whereas it is for the "best paper on experimental philosophy in the year."-The group called the "Society Islands" is said to derive its name from the "caractère doux et sociable des habitans," and Otaheite is said to be the chief. Now Otaheite is 150 miles distant, and belongs to the Friendly Islands; and Cook tells us himself that he named the others Society Islands, six in number, "on account of their being contiguous to each other." |