Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 43.djvu/324

 speaks in unqualified terms of his ‘unbounded industry’ in making for him a much larger collection of drawings than he expected. His observations, too, were valuable, and the vocabularies of South Sea languages given in his ‘Journal’ are interesting. The circumstances attending the publication of this book were peculiar. Upon Sir Joseph's return to England, Parkinson's brother, Stanfield Parkinson, claimed, under a will executed before Sydney left England, all the drawings made by his brother in spare hours, as well as his journals and collections. A dispute ensuing, Dr. John Fothergill [q. v.] interposed, and Sir Joseph Banks agreed to pay to Stanfield Parkinson and his sister Britannia the sum of 500l. for balance of salary due, and for Sydney's collections and papers. The latter were, however, lent to Stanfield on his promise of return. He at once had them transcribed, and, with the assistance of Dr. Kenrick, prepared them for publication. An injunction, however, was obtained in chancery to restrain him from publishing until after the appearance of the volume then in preparation for the admiralty by Dr. John Hawkesworth [q. v.] Hawkesworth retaliated, after a fashion, by excluding mention of Parkinson from his ‘Journal of a Voyage round the World, in His Majesty's Ship Endeavour,’ &c., which appeared in 1771, although some of Parkinson's papers were used in its preparation. Similarly his name was not allowed to appear on any of his drawings in ‘An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere,’ &c., by John Hawkesworth, LL.D., 3 vols. London, 1773.

The opposition narrative of the voyage was published later in 1773 under the title ‘A Journal of a Voyage to the South Seas in His Majesty's Ship the Endeavour. Faithfully transcribed from the Papers of the late Sydney Parkinson, Draughtsman to Joseph Banks, Esq., on his late Expedition with Dr. Solander round the World. Embellished with Views and Designs, delineated by the Author, and engraved by capital Artists, London. Printed for Stanfield Parkinson, the Editor.’ Before the actual publication, however, Stanfield Parkinson died insane. The work contains a portrait by James Newton, representing Parkinson as a youth surrounded with drawing materials and specimens. Twenty-three plates from his drawings accompany the text. The originals of many of these, and some others, are preserved in the British Museum (Addit. MSS. 23920–23921). A second edition of the ‘Journal,’ by Dr. John Coakley Lettsom [q. v.], was published, London, 1784.

[Hawkesworth's Voyages, ii. 97, 123, iii. 780; Gent. Mag. July 1773 p. 342, August 1784 p. 603, January 1785 p. 52; Smith's Catalogue, ii. 260, Suppl. 1893, pp. 260, 261; Friends' Quarterly Examiner, xi. 97–9; Registers at Devonshire House.] 

PARKINSON, THOMAS (fl. 1769–1789), portrait-painter, is chiefly known as a painter of theatrical figures and groups. He, however, also practised regularly as a portrait-painter, and exhibited portraits at the Free Society of Artists in 1769 and 1770, and at the Royal Academy from 1773 to 1789. Some of these were engraved, including those of Dr. William Balmain (by R. Earlom), William Woodfall (by J. Jehner), Jonathan Britain (by J. R. Smith), and others. Among his theatrical groups were ‘Mr. Weston in the character of Billy Button in the “Maid of Bath”’ (Incorporated Society of Artists, 1772); ‘Mr. Shuter, with Mr. Quick and Mrs. Green, in a scene from “She stoops to conquer”’ (engraved by R. Laurie, 1776); ‘A Scene from Cymon’ (Royal Academy, 1773); ‘A Scene from The Duenna’ (Royal Academy, 1774); ‘Garrick led off the Stage by Time with Tragedy and Comedy’ (engraved by R. Laurie, 1779), &c. A number of Parkinson's small theatrical portraits were engraved. Some of the original drawings for these are in the Burney collection of theatrical portraits in the print-room at the British Museum.

[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Chaloner Smith's British Mezzotinto Portraits; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760–1880.] 

PARKINSON, THOMAS (1745–1830), mathematician, the son of Adam Parkinson, was born at Kirkham in Lancashire in 1745. Having been at school in Kirkham under a Mr. Threlfal, he entered Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1765 as a sizar. His father, who disapproved of his entering the university, denied him pecuniary assistance, and to eke out his income he joined Israel Lyons the younger [q. v.] in calculating the series of tables of parallax and reflection for the board of longitude. In 1769 he became senior wrangler and second Smith's prizeman, dividing the honours with George Atwood, who was third wrangler and first Smith's prizeman. He proceeded M.A. in 1772, B.D. in 1789, and D.D. in 1795. He was for twenty years (1771–91) fellow, and for fourteen years (1777–91) tutor of his college; and was proctor of the university 1786–7. In 1775 the dean and chapter of Ely conferred on him the vicarage of Mel-