C206] * Af»PENDlX. 



earth. Mr. Swainson, oh the other hand, declares that it is " the great 

 globe itself," or perhaps a part of it. Of this, however, more elsewhere. 



But my patience, and indeed my time, is exhausted. Many ludicrous 

 points in this entertaining epistle of our military scribe remain yet un- 

 touched, and must continue so for the present. One last instance of his syl- 

 logistic powers I must, however, adduce. In his first letter, commencing 

 his attack on me, he begins with a lamentation over the fall of science ; he 

 consoles himself, however, in his troubles, by being able to trace the causes 

 of this fall. They amount to three : — the denial of great truths ; the mis- 

 understanding of great theories j the introduction of great oratory. In my 

 reply to his epistle, I ventured to doubt the fact that science had declined, 

 and I decidedly denied the influence of any such causes as he specifies, even 

 allowing them to have existed, towards the production of any such effect. 

 I suggested, in short, the deficiency of Mr. Swainson's logic. He again 

 returns to the subject ,• and how does he rebut ray observations ? — by 

 showing that our science has declined ? — by proving that his three-headed 

 cause has been in operation, or could have had any influence over the true 

 interests of science ? No, Sir j he simply takes up his parable against me, 

 and says, " I am the man." I, in short, am the delinquent, whose want 

 of understanding the subject of which I treat, has overturned the goodly 

 edifice of science in this country I So, then, I am, it seems, the mighty 

 Atlas that sustains the whole weight of science on his shoulders ; and, 

 because I may be a blockhead. Zoology falls to the ground. How 

 blindly does this man exalt the person whom he means to depress ! One 

 would imagine that I had laid the snare for him by which he is thus 

 unwarily entrapped. But such is not the case : he has fallen into a pitfall 

 of his own construction. Mr. Swainson, indeed, as I have said elsewhere, 

 has much to learn. Let him emerge awhile into light from his murky 

 seclusion, which serves but to foster the " sweltered venom " of his nature, 

 ^nd look abroad into the world of science, and he will find that at no period 

 has Zoology — from the immense accumulation of facts, as well of ancient 

 as of recent date, from the vast accession to her stores in Physiology and 

 Comparative Anatomy, from the comprehensiveness of the views with which 

 these materials are applied to the purposes of science, and the number and 

 ability of her votaries — attained such an elevation as at the present mo- 

 ment of her alleged decline and ruin. He will find, I repeat, that her cause 

 does not hang in suspense on the prowess of a single arm ; but that, even 

 if the humble individual should fail, whom his inconsistent malice has ex- 

 alted into the " Piercy " of the field, still will she have in reserve, to unfurl 

 her banners and maintain her battle, 



" Five hundred good as he." 



I would fain add a few more last words : but time is pressing, and the 

 little leisure I can at present snatch from more serious pursuits, to throw 

 away upon this worthless subject, is now exhausted. Much Nemains yet to 

 be noticed in Mr. Swainson's letter. I shall probably return to it before 

 long. 



I have also to apologise for not sending you the reply which I had pro- 

 mised to M. Lesson's letter. In your next Number I hope to be more 

 punctual. I am, dear Sir, truly yours, 



N. A. Vigors. 

 Regeni^t Park, Feb, 1832. 



