e x p l a n a t o r y r e m a r k s .
“ That S. P. had a difpute with Jofeph Banks, which was likely to be
attended with a law-fuit j but in order to ferve S. P. and prevent 1*0 much
.trouble and expence, J. F. at the defire of S. P. had taken upon him to
endeavour to fettle the matter between them, which J. F. had effedted in
the following manner:
•• That Jofeph Banks inltead of paying S. Parkinfon the fum of one hundred
and forty pounds, or thereabouts, which was due to his deceafed brother
Sydney Parkinfon, fliould pay Stanfield Parkinfon the fum of five hundred
pounds : for which S. P. ihould let J. Banks felecfi: fuch ihells, &c. from
his late brother’s colledtion, as to make J. Banks’s complete; and that S. P.
Ihould make no ufe of his late brother Sydney Parkinfon’s papers or
drawings : to which agreement Stanfield Parkinfon being ptefent made no
objection.
“ But J. F. complained, that contrary to this agreement he found S. P.
was preparing to publiih his brother’s obfervations, which S. P. acknowledged
was true, and faid he had expended upwards of iixty pounds on that
account.
“ J. F. remonftrated with him on the injuftice of fuch a procedure, and
faid for the fake of their own credit, and to avoid difputes, he (J. F.)
deiired S. P. would fend him an account of what had been- expended in
preparing for.the publication, and he (J. F.) would pay it him. .
“ Accordingly the bill was fent, amounting to upwards of fixty pounds j
this happened to be about the-time when J. F. was going into the country
for fome weeks, who.foon after his return fent for S. P. in order to pay the
aforefaid bill.
“ But to his great furprife, S. P. told J. F. the work was ftill going on,
and that the fum of £300 was now expended thereon. J. F. again
“ remonftrated
•JB X P L A N A : T O R Y R E M A R K S . ¡13
“ remonftrated with S. P. on the great injufticQ done him as a . mediator
a between them,; but to no purpofe, ,S. P. ftijl perfifting in publiihing.
“ A little while after S;. P* was withdrawn, J. R. deiired J. Hatch would let
i* S. P.i know that J. F. .would pay this farther exp.enee, provided he would
« drop the publication : to which J. H. replied, that Si. Parkinfon told J. H.
“ that the. work was carrying on fo faft that he could not drop it j on which
“ account J..H. did not carry this propbfal.to S. P.”
Having thus made ufe of every method in my power, but ¿neffediuaily, to
prevent the publication of a work obtained from »its rightful owner in this
treacherous- manner, nothing remained for me to do, but to a flare my much
injured friend J. Banks, that I felt the moft’poignant diftrefs on this occaflon :
and that whilft I had been folely intent upon ferving both parties, I had been
made the inftrument of injuring him fo materially.
Though I knew Parkinfon himfelf was incapable of publiihing the papers
w h i c h he had thus furreptitioufly obtained j yet it Wa? not to be doubted, but
he might readily find fome needy writer,. wKo would fupply his defeats, and
perhaps, rejoice at an opportunity of defaming thofe who were moft juftly
entitled to commendation. '
When the work appeared, this apprehenfion was .fully juftified; it was
uihbred to 'the publick by a preface profefling much fpecious candour, but
containing i feries of falfehood;; .inifreprefentation, and abufe. To thefe is
oppofed the: explanation here exhibited, and it is. now before the publick, and
will probably be before pofterity, who will have no partial regards to the
aCcufer or; defendants : both have the right of appeal to that tribunal, to
explain the motives of their condudt, and muft fubmit to the equity of their
decifion.
That applications were made by a legal procefs to ftop the appearance
of this work by the publiiher and bookfcllers concerned in the edition
g of