ANNALS 



OF 



PHILOSOPHY. 



APRIL, 1822. 



Article I. 



Answer to the Review of the Sixth Edition of Dr, Thomson's 

 Sijstem of Chemistry y in No. XXI. of the Journal of Science, 

 Literature, and the Arts, edited hy Mr. Brande. By the 

 Author of that System. 



Though this Review appeared about a year ago, circum- 

 stances, which it is needless to state, prevented me from examin- 

 ing it till the month of February last. The accusations contained 

 in it are of such a nature that I consider myself called upon to 

 refute them ; -and I have only to regret that my answer was not 

 drawn up immediately after the publication of the Review itself. 



Common report has announced that the Review in question 

 was written by Dr. Andrew Ure, of the Andersonian Institution, 

 Glasgow ; and several circumstances induce me to give credit 

 to that report. With Dr. Ure, however, I beg leave to disclaim 

 any concern. 1 should consider it as a superfluous task to 

 attempt any vindication of myself from his aspersions. No 

 pubhcation of his can ever do me the smallest injury where the 

 name of the author is known. 



Mr. Brande being the acknowledged editor of the Journal of 

 the Royal Institution, I am bound to consider the Review as 

 containing his sentiments of me and my work. The fifth edition 

 of my System of Chemistry was reviewed by him pretty much 

 in the same manner as the present. I was urged at the time by 

 several friends, for whose opinions I entertain the highest 

 respect, to answer that attack. But after reading it over, the 

 Review appeared to me to show so little knowledge of the sub- 

 ject, that 1 thought it better to overlook it altogether. Had tha 



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