A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

learning from his voyage; that he was only directed therefore, to exercise all his talents, and toextend his observations to every remarkable object; and that from him was expected a philosophicalhistory of the voyage, on a plan which the learned world had not hitherto seen executed. His father,accordingly, he says, having performed the voyage, and collected his observations, in conformity tosuch opinion and expectations, proceeded, on his return home, to accomplish the remaining taskallotted to him--writing the history of the voyage. It was first proposed, we are told, that a singlenarrative should be composed from his and Cook's papers, the important observations of each beinginserted, and ascertained by appropriate marks. Forster, in consequence, received a part of Cook'sjournal, and drew up several sheets as a specimen; but this plan was soon desisted from, as it wasthought more expedient that the two journals should be kept separate. In fartherance, then, of thisdesign, it is said, an agreement was drawn up on the 13th of April, 1776, between Captain Cook andMr Forster, in the presence, and with the signature, of the Earl of Sandwich, which specified theparticular parts of the relations to be prepared by each, and confirmed to both, jointly, the gift of thevaluable plates engraved at the expence of the Admiralty, and generously bestowed on these twogentlemen in equal shares. Mr F. soon afterwards presented a second specimen of his narrative to theEarl of Sandwich, but was surprised to find that it was quite disapproved of, though at last he wasconvinced that, as the word "narrative" had been omitted in the above-mentioned agreement, he wasnot entitled to compose a connected account of the voyage. He was, moreover, informed, that if hechose to preserve his claim to half of the profits arising from the plates, he must conform to the letterof that agreement. In this he acquiesced for the benefit of his family; and accordingly, though he hadunderstood it was intended he should write the history of the voyage, he found himself confined tothe publication of his unconnected philosophical observations. G. Forster adds, it hurt him much tosee the chief intent of his father's mission defeated, and the public disappointed in their expectationsof a philosophical recital of facts; however, as he himself had been appointed his father's assistant,and was bound by no such agreement as that which restrained him, he thought it incumbent toattempt such a narrative as a duty to the public, and in justice to the ample materials he had collectedduring the voyage. "I was bound," he concludes, "by no agreement whatever; and that to which myfather had signed, did not make him answerable for my actions, nor, in the most distant manner,preclude his giving me assistance. Therefore, in every important circumstance I had leave to consulthis journals, and have been enabled to draw up my narrative with the most scrupulous attention tohistorical truth." Such is the defence which Mr G. Forster sets up in behalf of a conduct, which it iscertain was very differently construed by the patrons of the expedition, whose indignant opinionswere so far regarded by the public, as to render the residence of both father and son in England nolonger pleasant or respectable. They left it and went to the continent; though it is likely they were themore induced to do so by certain family difficulties, and the ill effects of the father's turbulenttemper, which speedily lost him the friends his uncommon abilities and erudition had procured. Thereader who desires information respecting these two singular men, and the sentiments entertained ingeneral as to their improper conduct in the matter of the publication, may turn to the Supplement tothe Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is, however, but justice to inform him, that the account there given,bears decisive indications of party bias in more senses than one; and that the strongest assertions itcontains as to the share which Forster the father had in the publication, are not supported onevidence sufficient for the conviction of any unprejudiced mind. The writer of that article, as ofseveral others in that very valuable publication, appears to have given up his imagination to theprevailing terrors of the times, and to have become, at last, almost incapable of discriminatingbetwixt personal delinquency and epidemic immorality--the misfortunes incident to individuals inevery age or country, and the evils arising out of the erroneous creeds and systems of a particulartime and place. A single quotation from the article now alluded to, may be conducive to the reader'sfavourable acceptance of that portion of the Forsters' labours from which it is proposed to supplymany of the succeeding notes. "An account of the voyage was published in English and German, byGeorge Forster; and the language, which is correct and elegant, was undoubtedly his; but those whoknew both him and his father, are satisfied that the matter proceeded from the joint stock of theirobservations and reflections. Several parts of the work, and particularly the elaborate investigationsrelative to the languages spoken by the natives of the South Sea Islands, and the speculationsconcerning their successive migrations, are thought to be strongly impressed with the genius of the