lted. The Encyclopaedia Britannica is somewhat more candid,
stating merely what was generally thought as to the Narrative
being the work of Mr Robins, and at the same time pointing, though
indirectly, to the existence of information opposed to that opinion.
"In 1748," says the article Robins, 3d edition, "appeared Lord Anson's
Voyage round the World, which, though Mr Walter's name is in the
title, has been generally thought to be the work of Mr Robins."--"The
5th edition, printed at London, in 1749, was revised and corrected
by Mr Robins himself. It appears, however, from the corrigenda and
addenda to the 1st volume of the Biographia Britannica, printed in
the beginning of the 4th volume of that work, that Mr Robins was only
consulted with respect to the disposition of the drawings, and that
he had left England before the book was printed. Whether this be the
fact, as it is asserted to be by the widow of Mr Walter, it is not for
us to determine." The remark now made seems somewhat ambiguous, and
may refer to either the 5th edition only, or to the work in general.
In referring, however, to the Biog. Brit. as above, the ambiguity is
removed, and a testimony is discovered in opposition to the statement
of Dr Wilson, which the reader cannot fail to consider of very high
import, and as bearing strongly against the claims of Mr Robins. The
writers of the Biog. had spoken, in their account of Lord Anson, of
the history of his voyage having been written by Mr Robins. This they
did on common though uncontradicted report, arising in all probability
from the positive assertions of Dr Wilson, to which, it is certainly
very singular, neither Mr Walter nor any of his friends chose to
object. With the most praise-worthy liberality and candour, however,
these gentlemen, in the corrigenda; &c. referred to, insert the
following notice:--"Thus has the matter hitherto stood. But so late
as the present year (1789) and a few days previously to the writing of
this note, a letter upon the subject has been put into our hands by
Mr John. Walter, bookseller at Charing Cross. It is addressed to that
gentleman by Mrs Walter, the widow of the publisher of that Voyage,
and is as follows:
"SIR,
"I am informed that the Biographia Britannica insinuates that Mr
Robins, and not Mr Walter, was the writer of Lord Anson's Voyage round
the World. I shall therefore take it as a favour, if you will put me
in the way of correcting so great a mistake. Durin
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