30 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



It was Banks 's intention to produce on his own account 

 a history of the Expedition and its results in Natural 

 Science. He proceeded very far with this undertaking. 

 A vast number of drawings and paintings were finished 

 off from the rough sketches of Buchan and Parkinson ; 

 and people were asking, for years afterwards, especially 

 from Germany, when the publication would be complete. 

 The reason why it was relinquished has never been made 

 clear. The drawings, or very many of them, are in the 

 custody of the British Museum. There are five hundred 

 finished copper plates stowed away at South Kensington. 

 A partial resurrection has been made, in a superb volume, 

 " Illustrations of Australian Plants, collected in 1770 

 during Captain Cook's voyage round the world in the 

 Endeavour. By the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., 

 K.B., P.R.S., and Dr. Solander, F.R.S. With determinations 

 by James Britten, F.L.S., Senior Assistant, British 

 Museum. Printed by order of the Trustees ..." (Folio, 

 London, 1905). 



What may be called the official account of Cook's 

 first voyage was undertaken by John Hawkesworth, 

 who received from the Government 6000 in payment for 

 his services. His story was made up from Cook's journal, 

 Banks 's own journal, and some personal contributions 

 from Dr. Solander, assisted by access to Admiralty 

 records. The book was one of the literary triumphs of 

 the day. It has naturally become classic to the geographer. 

 But it was fatal to Dr. Hawkesworth. Envy and jealousy 

 marked him. A fierce attack was made upon him ; 

 the principal charges being that he had allowed himself 

 an occasional exhibition of Free-thought, as when he 

 omitted to regard a fortunate escape from peril as a 

 special interposition of Providence ; and that he had 

 shown an absence of reserve, in dealing with matters which 

 the Grundys of the day thought should have been 

 marked with a specially thick veil. These things would 



