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Advertisement.

The following Journal of the circumnavigation undertaken in 1768, and completed in 1771, has met with publick approbation. Sydney Parkinson, the author, was draughtsman to Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. and the engravings, taken from his drawings, have been esteemed a valuable addition to the Journal, as, perhaps, no plates hitherto published have conveyed a more faithful representation of the originals from whence the drawings were painted. This young artist was a person of unblemished character, and strict veracity; and his Journal may, therefore, be considered as consonant to truth in every relation.

Both before and since the period of the voyage here described, the Journals of other circumnavigators have been published; which, together, form such an ample history of a part of the southern hemisphere, hitherto but little known, that I deemed an abridgment of them would prove a useful appendage to Sydney Parkinson's original work: I employed, therefore, a writer of literary reputation to execute this summary, which is now offered to the publick. To every paragraph are annexed marginal references to the original Journals; which, while they form an accurate epitome of the several voyages, enable the reader to refer to them with the greatest facility and exactness.

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The Preface to Sydney Parkinson's Journal was drawn up after his death, at the request of his brother, Stanfield Parkinson, the original editor, by the late Dr. Kenrick, who was totally unacquainted with Dr. Fothergill, as he informed me at the time he was employed in writing, and whose sole apology was the pecuniary emolument of his labour. I have preserved this Preface, as well as added Dr. Fothergill's Remarks upon it, in justification of his conduct.

As controversial performances, I did not think them of sufficient importance to insert them in my edition of Dr. Fothergill's works; and more especially as the unmerited suspicions which gave rise to the Preface, no longer subsisted. The brother of Sydney Parkinson is dead: in his last illness Dr. Fothergill was consulted, and kindly attended him; and after his decease the family disposed of the copy-right of the Journal to Dr. Fothergill, thereby evincing a thorough dependence upon him, and the most unequivocal acknowledgment of his rectitude.

Since the Doctor's decease, the whole has been conveyed into my possession; and, besides the additions already enumerated, which may be had separately, I have prefixed a geographical chart of the tracts of the late circumnavigators, in order to render the work as complete as possible for those who may not have purchased the original, or who wish to possess an elegant collection of South American views and portraits.

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