484 Final Statement of Mr, Swainson 



First, then, on my " grade '* and " profession." My in- 

 terrogator was, or is, in the army; consequently he knows, 

 or should know, that he of whom he writes is his superior 

 officer, and that in " camps and courts " he must give him 

 place. 



2. On the decline of science* 



" This is the cant of the present day : every man who has a petty grier- 

 anee to bring forward, or some trivial point of minor information on which 

 he hopes, to be borne into notice, adopts the decline of science as the post 

 from which he starts." (p. 335.) 



The only men who have written upon this subject are Sir 

 Humphry Davy, Mr. Herschel, Mr. Babbage, and a powerful 

 writer in the Quarterly Review. I feel honoured in being 

 thus associated. 



3. Opprobrious expressions are heaped upon me for re- 

 ceiving pecuniary recompense for my writings. Here again 

 I find myself in a goodly company, headed by Sir Walter 

 Scott, and terminated, we will say, by Mr. Bennett. We are 

 all, it seems, " jobbers," " money-changers," " dealers in 

 literary or scientific peltry." With such epithets does this 

 writer insult that mighty and intellectual power of the country 

 engaged to instruct or delight the world. 



4. I am, moreover, "employed" by Dr. Richardson. The 

 nature of this employment will be best Understood by the 

 following extract of his letter : — 



" Chatham y July^. 1831. 

 " Dear Sir, I have had the honour of your acquaintance now for upwards 

 of three years, during which we have been mutually engaged on the orni- 

 thological part of the Fauna Boredli-Americdna ; and, so far from your 

 being guided solely by mercenary motives, you have voluntarily, and at a 

 great personal sacrifice of time, and a considerable one of expense, contri- 

 buted a large and most material part of the letterpress to that work; 

 although you have not received any pecuniary reward for these exertions, 

 and were perfectly aware, from the first, that you never could derive any. 

 Your conduct to me has been gentlemanly and strictly honourable through- 

 out, and I have derived both pleasure and profit from your society. 



" I remain, ever your sincere friend, 

 " William Swainson, Esq'* " John Richardson.'* 



Dr. Horsfield, Sir W. Jardine, Bart., Messrs. Selby, Wil- 

 son, Sowerby, Stevens, Audubon, Trail, Scoresby, the late 

 Mr. Roscoe, all the most eminent naturalists of the present 

 day, have warmly returned me public thanks for liberality 

 and disinterestedness. This, too, at a time when solicited on 

 all sides, by publishers and booksellers, to devote more of my 

 time to their undertakings. Even the author of the Hoi^ce 

 Entomologicce is a public, a willing, and a grateful witness in 

 my cause.* 1 am perpetually assisting others, to the neglect 



* Horae Entom., part 2. p. 524. 



