•24 APPENDIX. 



but one communication disputing the accuracy of any state- 

 ment which I have put foi-ward ; and as in this instance the 

 writer wishes me to correct the misrepresentation of which he 

 complains, I cannot adopt a fairer course than to make that 

 correction in his own words. In so doing I think it as well 

 to remark, that before the publication of the appendix T held 

 no communication respecting it with any one of the parties 

 therein alluded to. I felt satisfied that I could furnish a 

 faithful relation of such circumstances in the history, as in- 

 volved a question of memory, and I therefore preferred to 

 risk the chance of the acciu*acy of any part of my statement 

 being subsequently impugned, rather than to expose myself 

 to the being placed in the position of having to bring forward 

 details under a protest against their publication ; a position 

 which would have been in the highest degree painful, if, as in 

 the present instance, such a protest had come to me from a 

 party whose share in the transaction had been irreproachable, 

 and altogether accidental. 



The letter is from the gentleman of whom I have spoken 

 as having been the bearer of certain opinions or intentions 

 expressed by Dr. Buckland, in relation to the action com- 

 menced against me by Mr. Thomas Hawkins. 



No. 13. 



" Your statement of the interview at the Geological Society, in page 21 

 " of your Appendix, is calculated to give an erroneous impression of what 

 " took place ; for though the Doctor certainly did say, in an off-hand man- 

 " ner, " OA, if Hawkins won't prosecute^ I will,''^ or words to that effect, yet 

 " his manner of saying it did not convey to my mind anything like a deli- 

 " berate intention of doing so, hut it seemed merely expressive of his indig- 

 " nation at the charge brought against Hav^^kins, and his conviction of its 

 " want of foundation. I never therefore meant you to understand that 

 " ' Dr. Buckland now intended to make himself a party to the action,' or 

 " that ' he had positively declared his intention to this effect ;' and I shall 

 " he obliged if you will correct this misrepresentation in your next No." 



From the confidence which is supposed to reign among 

 the guests, at a private dinner-table, one of the party may 

 think himself hardly dealt with, if the opinions, which on such 

 an occasion he unguardedly expresses, are afterwards arrayed 

 in judgment against him before the bar of a judicial tribunal ; 

 but at a public conversazione, such as those which take place 

 after the evening meetings of the Geological Society, we do 

 not expect ' oft-hand' speeches to be made by the President, 

 when the subject under discussion happens to be of so serious 

 a character as an action for hbel, relating to evidence pub- 

 lished bv a select committee of the House of Commons. 



