g, one of his officers. The work,
however, as the reader will soon find, is materially enriched by the
communications of Mr Anderson, surgeon of the Resolution. The valuable
introduction, and the notes interspersed throughout the volumes
contributed by Cook, were the production of Dr Douglas, Bishop of
Salisbury, who, at the request of Lord Sandwich, undertook also the
office of editor. Of the amount of his services in this character, we
have his own statement, towards the end of the introduction. From this,
it appears, that Cook, when he set out, knew he was expected to relate,
as well as to execute, the operations committed to him; and that his
journal, in consequence, was faithfully adhered to. This seems to imply
the non-interference of the editor, at least in any important sense. The
same thing may be inferred from what he says respecting Mr Anderson's
journal. And as to the third volume, we are expressly told, that it was
completely prepared for the press by Captain King himself. There is
surely, then, very little foundation for an assertion made in the memoir
of Captain Cook, inserted in the new edition of the General Biographical
Dictionary, vol. 10. viz. that Dr Douglas "has levelled down the more
striking peculiarities of the different writers, into some appearance of
equality." Certainly, we are bound either to refuse such an insinuation,
or to charge falsehood on Dr Douglas, who expressly states, that all he
has to answer for, are the notes in Captain Cook's two volumes and the
introduction. But the alternative will give no trouble to any reader
acquainted with the worthy character of the bishop, or who can
comprehend, how very readily a probable conjecture may became the basis
of an erroneous opinion.

It is necessary to apprise the reader, that the letter D is placed at
such of Dr Douglas's notes as it is thought advisable to retain in this
work, and that for the rest marked E., the editor, as formerly, is
responsible.--E.]

[Footnote 24: Two voyages for discovering a north-west passage, through
Hudson's Bay, were then performed; one under the command of Captain
Middleton, in his majesty's ships the Furnace, and the Discovery pink,
in 1741 and 1743. The other under the direction of Captains Smith and
Moore, in the ships Dobbs and California, fitted out by subscription, in
1746 and 1747.--D.]

Soon after his accession to the throne, having happily closed the
destructive operations of war, he turned his