334 Analysis of Scientific Books. 



the original discoverer of it, as far as my knowledge of the sub- 

 ject enabled me to go ; as I am not conscious of any wilful mis- 

 representation, or twisting of facts, to serve any particular pur- 

 pose ; I should consider myself guilty of a kind of felo'de-se^ if 

 1 were not to step forward in the present .case in my own vin- 

 dication ♦," 



Let us next hear his own opinion and eulogium of his own 

 style. " I may be very often accused of great carelessness of 

 style ; but, never, unless I deceive myself egregiously, either of 

 want of energy or ditfiiseness. Indeed the characteristic pro- 

 perties of my style are Just the opposite ^f diffuseness, lam 

 retnarLably concise, though I hope always .Qlear,and c/enerally 

 energetic [." 



One would fancy on reading the above, that it was a frag- 

 ment of some Academician's eulogy on the style of Tacitus 

 or Montesquieu. But tlie passage itself is a good example of 

 Poctor 1 homson's incessant tautology. And by what splendid 

 performance has he earned his privilege of being often guilty of 

 great carelessness of style ; and how is this, his acknowledged 

 jmd habitual vice in writing, compatible with conciseness, clear- 

 ness and energy ? 



Of the great versatility of Dr. Thomson's powers of expression, 

 our readers may judge by the two followina: samples. If the first 

 be reckoned ditiuse, the second will be allowed to be more ener- 

 getic. though it may be doubted how far he is entitled to credit for 

 the vigour of its diction. " Such, as far as I am acquainted with 

 them, are the changes produced by vegetation. But plants do not 

 continue to vegetatefor ever ; sooner or later ihey decay and wither 

 and rot, and are totally decomposed. This change, indeed, does 

 not happen to all plants at tlie end of the same time Some live 

 only for a single season, or even for a shorter period ; others 

 live two seasons ; others three ; others a hundred or more ; and 

 there are some plants which continue to vegetate for a thousand 

 years ; but sooner or later they all cease to live ; and then these 

 veiy chemical and mechanical powers, which had promoted 

 vegetation, combine to destroy the remains of the plant. Now 

 what is the cause of this change? Why do plants dief This 

 question can only be answered by examining with some care 

 what that is which constitutes the life of plants; for it is evident 

 that if we can discover what that is which constitutes the life of a 

 plant, it cannot be difficult to discover whatever constitutes its 

 neath. Now the phenomena of vegetable life are, in general, 

 vegetation. As long as a plant continues to vegetate, we say 

 that it lives ; when it ceases to vegetate, we conclude that it is 

 oead.Jr" Thi."' mode of writing, so concise, clear and energetic 



ainals of Phil. April, 1S29, p. S42. f Answer, iit supra, p. 945. 

 tteni. Edition 6tL, iv., p. 361- In quoting this before, we did 

 to onr readers, by omitting the earlier portion of the passage. 



