14 E X P L A N A T O R Y R E M A R K S ,
o f Capt. Cook’s Voyages, is true, and for very obvious reafons the fale
of it would lelfen their benefits, in proportion to its value and its fale. The
hope of gain had been Parkinfon’s chief objedt— he knew that a much more
honourable place * might and would have been referved for doing juftice to
his brother’s merit, than in a preface filled with invedtive and unjuft: infinu-
ations againft his brother’s warmeft friends. Could poor Sydney have forefeen
that he was furniihing avarice and malevolence with the means of traducing
fuch men, he would have fwerved from the inftrudtions of his cordial and
intelligent friend,-j- who defired him to “ minute every thing he faw, and
“ truft nothing to his memory.’”
It may not be improper here to mention a fadt, which, though of no great
confequence in itfelf, is of moment to thofe who are under the difagreeable
neceflity of juftifying their condudt before the publick.
Parkinfon’s plea for printing his brother’s papers, was, “ That Jof. Banks
never returned him any of the clothes, utenfils> &c. which were fent to
** Jof. Banks for his infpedtion.”
It was ftipulated exprefsly, that every thing of this nature ihould be put into
the hands of Jof. Banks. But it is evident, that Parkinfon had referved many
drawings j whence, otherwife, came the plates which appear in this work ?
And there are now in my poifeflion, fome clothes and inilruments which
were colledted by Sydney Parkinfon, which I purchafed of Stanfield Parkinibn’s
executors after his deceafe, and which were never fent to J. Banks, though
all were promifed. Hence it is very evident, this fuppofed detention, which
might readily have been adjufted, was not the foie caufe of the unrighteous adt
— but the hope of acquiring a large fum of money by the fale of this journal.
However artfully the tale was told, yet the publick could not readily adopt
the partial and invidious narrative; they could not believe the account was
true} it bore too evident marks of partiality, rancour, and linjuittce. And
* The Natural Hiftory of this Voyage, f James Lee. ,
fenfible
E X P L A N A ,T O R Y R E M A R K S. i S
fenfible ’ people could not but fufpedt the like1 temper might poffibly pervade
the work; and:that the fam’e-difregiird to-truth, the fame varnifli, might be
employed to work up a reeital of events* and. oircumdances, more fluted to the
compiler’s ideas; than tile reality of a journal. *"
But there feems not much reafon to apprehend chelatter was the cafe. The
revifer feems to have followed his original pretty clbfely. What errors it contains
were chiefly made by the author, 'and it/was ’ft'ot likely the editor could
correct them.
Perhaps, it may be alked, whence it happened that ’tWo perfoHsj’ • whofe
charadters- have been thnS (harply attacked, hewld quietlyTemain'fo left'g under
fuch imputations®) I fhall aflfwer for'myfelf, and in doing that, lhall perhaps
fuggeft fome reafons why J. Batiks was'as filent . myfelf.
The confcioufnefs Of my innocence: ahd the dilintereftednefs of my: views
in this tranfadtion, with a: hope that the gerteral tenour of my life, cwould
prevent my fuffering greatly in the opinion Of thofe who knew any thing
concerning me; alleviated niudh te> fehft d f the thJUrie's'ldofle to meij ’ and
aperfuafion, that fenfible and impartial people, to whom J. Banks and myfelf
were unknown, wohld difcovbr 'in the narrative itfet; fo inany'iriitaricestpf
paflion and partiality;! has ihould lead them: to fufpedt the charges (to; be the
produdt of difappointment and malevolence.
Men . who .with, to pafs without-Mame. through: life, natumlty endeavour to
have none imputed to them; not evenmndefervedly. It is fcarcely poflible for
perfons of any feeling, ’ not to wiih' to leave behind, 'them ;an unfullied reputation;
and this not only for their own fakes, bqt for the fake of their friends,
and their connedtions. , oNot forgetting, likewife, that they owe example to
the publick.
Two reafons prevented me from attempting the juftification I now fubmit
to the reader's eonfideration before this time. The firfl, Parkinfon and
myfelf