pm P R E F A C E .
Put thus to die trouble and expence of defending a.fuit in chancery, and the
publication of my book being delayed when juft ready to appear, I had yet no
remedy but that of putting in a full anfwer to the bill, and praying a diffolution of
the injundtion. This I at length obtained j the reafons for continuing the injundtion
notappearingfatisfadlory tothecourtj and indeed thepretended transfer of the property
in my brother’s manufcripts, from me to Jofeph Banks, and from Jofeph Banks to
Dr. Hawkefworth, being attended with a circumftance, that, on the very face of
it, might reafonably fuggeft fome collufion. This was, that the alledged date of
the alignment of fuch property, from Banks to Hawkefworth, was prior to that
of the receipt for the five hundred pounds before-mentioned, given by Stanfield
and Britannia Parkinfon to Banks, on which the pretended right of the latter to
fuch manufcript was founded. Can it.fee fuppofed, that a man of Dr. Hawkef-
worth’s difcretion and .abilities would enter into an engagement of this nature, and
make apuxchafe of fuch moment, without enquiring into the title of the venderi
Be this as it may, fuch is the fadt. Indeed the whole purpofe of the bill appears
to be litigious, and calculated to anfwer no other end than to delay my publication,
till he Ihould get the ftart of me and publifh his own : and this, end, to my great
damage and loft., it hath anfwered. In the mean while, and pending the fuit between;
,us, it is faid that this prudential author fold the property of his own book,
for no lefs a fum than fix thoufand pounds: a fum that probably would not have
been given for it, had not an injundtion been obtained againft the publication of
mine j which contains an authentic journal of the laft and principal voyage,, ©¿s.
that of his majefty’s ihip The Endeavour.
Having thus given a fimple unvarniihed narrative of the caufes of the' delay of
ibi,s publication, I fubmit its encouragement to the judgement and candour of the
public. I cannot hdlp concluding, however, with a ihort refledtion'or two on the
conduct of my principal oppreifors»
That of Jofeph Banks, in particular, argues a high degree of infolence or ayai
: pofieiTedj. as he was, of fo largp a collediion of curiofities, as well as of my
brother*«
P R E F A C E . xxiii
brother’s drawings and defign«, was it not covetous in him to defire alfo the little
ftore bequeathed to me ? Might not I cite, on this occafion, the parable of the
prophet, and fay to this gentleman, as Nathan did unto David, thou art the man ?
Would it not be with propriety alfo that I ihould look on his friend, Dr. Fothergill,
as a kind of Ahithophel,; by whofe pernicious counfel I gave the ftaff out of my
own hands, and by whofe officious meddling, to fay no worfe of it> F have been involved
in*an expenfive and troublefome law-fuit? a proceeding the more reprehen-
fible in. him,; as it is inconfiftent with the peaceful rules o f that religious ibeiety to
which we mutually belong.. As to Dr. Hawkefworth, I ihall only fay of him,,
that, for a man of reputed piety, he hath behaved on* this occafion with fufficient
eagernefs after worldly profit j and hath ihewn, that, whatever Be his theory of
moral fentiments, he is pradlically qualified for the higheft poft, in which the exer-
cife of felfiih talents may be difplayed,, and a-; defire of inordinate gain be gratified.*
In refpedt to the comparative merits of his book and mine, it is not’ for me to
fay-any thing. If I have juftified myfelf in the eye of the impartial world for perfifting
in this publication, I fhall leave the works of my brother to fpeak his talents j £
thinking I have paid a proper refpedt to his memory, though. it fhould be. faid of his
journal,, that its only ornament is truth, and its beft recommendation, charadteriftic
of himfelf, its genuine fimplicity.
Stanfield Parkinfon.
* It. is faid this-gentleman hath been lately made an Eaft-India direftor.-
% Of thofe works are all, pr mod, of the drawings, publiihed in Dr. Hawk'efworth’s .narrative o f
the voyage of the ihip Endeavour ; although, while the name of the engraver is pompoufly difplayed,
that o f the draughtfinaiv, or original defigner, is meanly and invidioufly fupprefledL
A JOURNAL