326 Rejjly to Art. L No. XVIIL 



open object he could have had none ; for the observation 

 is entirely extraneous to the subject treated of. A hidden 

 object there must be ; and but one can be here inferred ; viz. 

 that these words were volunteered for the purpose of antici- 

 pating any future reference to the tenth number, to which the 

 preface, containing Mr. Bennett's subscription, was affixed. 

 Oh ! says the critic, isoe were not aware of that fact ; at the 

 time we wrote 0W7' critique "we were informed — for xve do not 

 descend from the importance of our collective and kinglike 

 dignity to inform ou7'selves respecting such '^ trivial period- 

 icals" — we were informed that the eighth number was the 

 last which was published. But mark the fatuity of the pro- 

 ceeding. That left-handed wisdom, which condescends to 

 such subterfuges as these, ever betrays itself by overshooting 

 its mark. The gratuitous information afforded at p. 101. is 

 forgotten, nay, contradicted, at p. 104. There the eleventh 

 number* is quoted at length by us, who, a few pages before, 

 were unaware of the existence of a subsequent number to the 

 eighth ! Quern Deus vult perdere prius dementat. 



The only charge which there is any attempt to substantiate 

 by a reference to the details of the case thus falls to the 

 ground. Of the two remaining papers of mine, on which the 

 accusation of my being " a detractor" of the French na- 



* It is curious to trace the modes of reasoning by which this writer 

 would arrive at his conclusions. Speaking of what he calls the famous 

 hyacinthine maccaw, he censures the author of the Menageries^ &c., for 

 inferring that it had been noticed by no writer previous to M. Spix ; be- 

 cause I, — the authorship of the work being as usual attributed to me, 

 — I was aware that he, Mr. Swainson, had given one specimen of the 

 species to the Linnean Society, and sold another to Mr. Leadbeater. Of 

 the first fact, it is true, I had a casual knowledge, by seeing the bird in the 

 Linnean Museum ; and I had heard of the second in consequence of a 

 famous story, the only thing famous I ever knew of the bird, which the 

 latter gentleman often tells with his usual facetiousness, respecting his 

 purchase. But how my knowledge of the aforesaid gift or the aforesaid 

 purchase could invalidate the observation, that no author had noticed the 

 species previously to a given period, I am at a loss to divine. Had I been 

 inclined, as superintendent of the work, to suggest any additions to Mr. 

 Bennett's remarks, I do not consider the scanty information I possessed 

 regarding the two foregoing facts would have contributed much to its value. 

 As to the superintendence of this yery valuable and popular work, which 

 is all, as is well known, that devolves upon me, I shrink in no respect from 

 the responsibility attached to it. Much more commendation, indeed, than 

 censure, on this score, would fall to my share. But let not the superin- 

 tendence of the whole be confounded with the execution of any particular 

 part. Were the excellences of Mr. Bennett's pen to be attributed to me, 

 those of Mr. Harvey's pencil, and of Messrs. Branston and Wright's graver, 

 nay, those of Mr. Whittingham's type and paper, would equally swell 

 the measure of my praise. I should soar into reputation on no ignoble 

 wing. 



