4to volume, price 6s. 6d., the substance of some other secreted journal, came out about half a year later. It abounds with marvellous tales, and stories of cruelty; some of which are downright fictions, while others are gross misrepresentations of what really occurred. Several of its statements, containing unjust reflections on individuals, were publicly contradicted by the Captain and his friends.
But the principal unauthorized publication, concerning the voyage, and the only one likely to rival that of Capt. Cook, did not appear till several months after the latter had sailed. In March, 1777, Mr. Geo. Forster published a narrative of the voyage, in two volumes, 4to, price £2 2s. This young man, chagrined at his father's being prevented from giving "a philosophical history of the voyage, free from prejudice and vulgar error,-an account written upon a plan which the learned world had not hitherto seen executed," resolved to give a narrative of the voyage himself, with the assistance of his father's journals. His work is valuable, and well written, and we may excuse his extravagant notions of his father's talents; but we cannot so easily excuse his attempt to depreciate those of Capt. Cook, whose work was then about to issue from the press. Mr. Forster, in his preface, not only blames the Lords of the Admiralty, for their supposed neglect of his father,[1] and par-
- ↑ Dr. Forster, instead of being neglected, was highly honoured. He was presented to the King, at Kew, a short time after his arrival, and was graciously received. The Lords of the Admiralty treated him with respect; and he had no right to complain, that they would not consent to his engrossing the honours which belonged to Capt. Cook. He was noticed a few days after his arrival in town, by some gentry whose visit he would rather have dispensed with; his house being broken into and plundered.
