In anfwer to this, I received the following letter, which, to my great fatis-
fa&ion, I lately found amongft my papers, and which, I think, will afford
the moft convincing proof of our intentions. Another letter, or two paifed
between us on the fubjeCt, which, thinking, the matter only temporary, were
deftroyed. The letter follows :
" D e a r S i r ,
I F E E L myfelf very much obliged to you, for having interefted yourfelf
in fettling the difputes between me and the Executors' of Sydney Parkin-
" fon, deceafed j efpecially, as I ,always feared that without the good offices of
" fome difinterefted perfon, equally to be trufted by both parties, they would
" inevitably end in a law-fuit of the moft pettyfogging nature, which would
" at once defeat any intention I had of ierving them, and lead them into an
ft ufelefs expence*.
" On leaving England, I agreed to give eighty pounds a year to S. Parkin-
" fon, befides his living of all kinds, as my draughtfman, to make drawings
" .fo r me : of this .agreement; £ . 151. 8s: id. is now due to his executors,
" befides fome fmall fiim for fuch cloths, &c. o f his, as I could difpofe of,
" or make ufe of in the ihip, which I chofe rather to do, than bring, them
" home liable to be damaged, as thofe which came home were in fome
" degree.
" Curiofities of all kinds I gave up to them, and fuch of his papers as I
" had, excepting only fome loofe iheets of a journal, which feemed to be only
" foul copies of a fair journal that I never found, and which is now the chief
" obje<ft of their enquiry; thefe foul papers, as all the journal I had, was to
" be given to Mr. Lee, for his reading, by S. Parkinfon’s own defire, expreffed
“ to Dr. Solander juft before he died : the curiofities I offered to purchafe at
" the time I delivered them, at fuch price as the executors ihould put upon
" them, but was refufed.
" Now
E X P L A N A T O R Y R E M A R K S . 5
" Now as S-. Parkinfon certainly behaved to me, during the whole of his
" long voyage, uncommonly well, and with unbounded induftry made for me
" a much larger number of drawings than I ever expected, I always did and
" ftill do intend to ihew to his relations' the fame gratitude for his good fervices
" -as I ihould have done to himfelf; the execution of this my intention was only
“ delayed by the fear of being involved in a vexatious law-fuit after all.
" Now .you, fir, in converfation with Dr. Solander, have been fo good as to
“ fuggeft a mode of pleafing all parties, which I confefs I very much, approve
" o f ; the. only thing that now; remains is, that, as a friend to both, you
" think of a certain fum to be paid by me to them, as an acknowledgement of
" S . Parkinfon’s good fervices, taking or not the ,curiofities, &e. juft as may
" feem to you moft proper : in this, i f you are good enough to undertake it
" I beg leave to hint, that I do not at all. mean to be iparing in my acknowledg-
" nient; but to err rather on the other fide, that any one who may hear the
" tranfa&ion may rather fay that I have been generous than otherwife.
" Yoiir obliged,: and very
" Affectionate humble fervant,
“ J O S E P H B A N K S.”
Being thus left folely to compromife the. difference between the parties, I
endeavoured to view them both in the moft impartial and difpaffionate light.
Whether my opinion was the moft prudent, is now fubmitted to others to
determine ; that it appeared to me the moft equitable and impartial, I can
fafely affert.
e I did