20 P O S T S C R I p T.
remarks are derived : yet does: the love- of truth fo far • in me- out-weigh
all partiality, that the points of the greateft importance to the decilion, are
principally taken from Mr. Parkinfon’s own account of the matter, without
falfifying any fail, or draining any inference.
Upon the face then of the premifes it appears, that Dr. Fotliergill, without
the ihadow of any intereft fo much as infinuated, but preemptively with the
bed: of intentions, and agreeably to his well known ufual humanity, interfered
for thefervice and fatisfa&ion of Mr. Parkinfon, to whofej f‘ religious fociety,”
to ufe Mr. Parkinfon’s own words, the doCtor alfo belonged : - it was under
this friendly mediation that Mr. Banks, whofe debt to the d.eceafed for his
falary is not pretended to have been -more than about one hundred and fifty
pounds,, confented to add the fum of three hundred and fifty pounds,, which
furely was a noble addition, and might very well be allowed to include in it,
at once, the gratuity intended as a douceur to the family» for the lofs they
fuftained in the death of fo valuable a relation, and a confideration. as well for
any diftinftion that could be fet up between the drawings of the hired botanical
draughtfman, and thofe of the draughtfman in general, as for all the vail
treafure of cockle ihells, plants, fluffed birds, favage garments, u.tenfils, and
implements of war, laid to have been left, 'of infinite curiofity, no doubt j but
hardly of fo much value as to tempt Mr. Banks'to cheat Mr. Parkinfon’s heirs
of them.
That Mr. Banks, however, imagined that this additional fum of three
hundred and fifty pounds gave him a right to a fair and full clearance (and
perhaps the reader may imagine fo too) ftands prefumably proved by his having
prepared a general releafe, to be figned by Mr. Parkinfon and filler on their
receipt of the fum, thus even generoully made up five hundred pounds j and
that i\ was not figned by them agpears, by Mr. Parkinfon’s own account, to
have been purely owing to fome delay made necefiary by a point of form. (See
preface, p. xv.)
That
P O s T S; Q. R I P T . m
That Dr.’ F.othergill might, at that time,.'promife his good offices for Mr.
Banks’s Jetting’ him have fome o f thofe, curiofities, back that" Mr. Parkinfon
there fays he wilhed to have back, is not. at all improbable, i f it be true that
he exprefled at that time fuch a wilh ; but that he ihould. make the receiving
them back a condition of his figning the receipt of the £500, is not, perhaps,
quite fo credible. Whoever, valfo,, will .think'it worth his while to periife
Mr. Parkinfon’s own, account, his own confeffion of prefence at Dr. Fothergill’s
engaging for the return of the brother’s manufcript, and not contradicting fuch
engagement, will hardly not fee and feel that he was'bound by it in-honour
and in juftice. !
To how poor a prevarication and fubterfuge has he recourfe in his pitiful
chicanery about the expreffion of making an improper ufe of his brother’s
papers ! Can he think to impofe on any 'one, that by .that “ improper ufe”
he did not underftand himfelf precluded from publiihing .any thing of his
brother’s, relative to that voyage, which Mr. Banks might wilh ¡not to be
publilhed ?
By.all accounts then, not.even excluding Mr. Parkinfon’s own flate of the
cafe, it appears, that after a final end had (by Mr. Banks’s :juftice pulhed to
the length of great generoli.ty) been put to any further claim on this part of
Mr. Parkinfon, for any .debts or effedts of his brother’s, he exprefled a very
natural curiofity" to have the perufal of vhis journal and .manufcripts, very
lawfully and honourably in Mr. Banks’s pofleffion,. Upon which Mr. Banks
with a miftruft which Mr. Parkinfon has fince .abundantly, juftified, expreffing
an unwillingnefs to truft them out of his hands, Dr. Fothergill,. in that true
fpirit of humanity which conftantly charaderifes him, obferved, that it would
be rather hard to deny a brother fuch a .natural gratification, and interceded
for Mr. Banks’s letting Mr. Parkinfon have them, faying, “ T h e y ,ihould be
“ returned, and no improper ufe made of them.” (See preface, p. xv.)
Now