40 ' ' TISlON UNDER WATER, 



I have reason to conclude that both yourself and Dr. 



Franklin arc swimmers, although by your own confession 



you cannot be a very adept diver ; you could not at that 



time however, when you vainly endeavoured to regain 



your silver buckle, shining as the substance was, in four 



feet water. 



Conjecture I believe that very studious and scientific men do often- 



mTsledb Sn *^ ^^"^^^ "^ *'^^" Studies, hit upon some fanciful theoretical 



in concluding point, upon which they build, without that solid ba>se 



that they can- which their own knowledge would easily discover- were 



they to consult it. 



Compliment- I ought, I am well aware, to beg pardon when I pre- 



.iry apology, gunied to differ from a man so learned and of such eminent 



abilities as yourself; and were it a point of theory, which 



depended on the mind's eye, I should, if I did not see the 



subject in the same light as yourself, impute it to a mental 



opthalmia on my part, and not think of otlering an 



The author opinion in opposition to yours. But in this case, I can- 

 states that he ~ 



can see very "^^ ^^^P thinking there must be some essential difference 



well under wa- in the formation of the crystaline humour of your eyes, 

 or in the body of the waters wherein you have tried your 

 experiments ; for I have frequently dived, not in the In- 

 dies, but no farther off than Eton, in the Thames, in water 

 from six to ten feet deep, for things thrown down to tha 

 bottom for the very purpose of diving to bring them out 

 again, and have done it with success; and my school- 

 fellows doing the same, I could not suppose the property 

 of seeing under water, was peculiar to myself; but as I 

 was never very fond of diving much, I have not of late 

 practised it, yet doubt not I could do the same thing 

 were I now to try. 



I trust you will excuse me for the liberty I have taken 

 in thus troubling you: but I did not think it right that an 

 error should go forth to the world, under the sanction of 

 a name that carries with it such weight. 

 I am. Sir, 

 With the greatest respect, 



Your very obedient servant, 

 A DIVER. 

 P. S. If you should be satisfied of the above mistake, I 

 hope you w ill mention it in your next number. 



