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4 Correction of a Mis-statement relate to M. de Iuc. | [Aug. 
that Review; otherwise, as I see the 
Review regularly as it is published, the 
error which is the just cause of com- 
plaint, would have most assuredly been 
avoided.—To render the correction more 
conspicuous, I shall take care to note the 
Mistatement with a proper reference, in 
the list of corrigenda, which will be given 
at the end of the work, 
‘The above explanation, I hope, will be 
received by M. de Luc, and his friends, 
asia sufficient apology for the injury to 
his character, which I have to regret ex- 
ceedingly I have been the innocent cause 
of propagating. I am, Sir, your most obe- 
dient humble servant, 
James Miurar, M.D. 
Editor of the Encyclop. Britan, 
Fountain-bridge, Edinburg, 
Fan. 24, 1808. 
P.S. If you will favor me with your name 
and address, I shall transmit you a copy of 
the note ; and perhaps with permission to 
publish along with it the above in any perio- 
dital work, if it should be any additional satis- 
faction for the injury. 
Letter of Dr. Millar, to M. de Tuc. 
Srr—I wow address you in consequence 
of an anonymous correspondence which 
I have had with some of your friends, re- 
lative to a mis-statement which | inadver- 
tently, or rather on the authority of 
Prof. Robison, introduced into the 
Life of Dr. Black inserted in the Ency- 
clopedia Britan. in which you'are charged 
with claiming the discoveries of the latter 
concerning heat. The letter which I ad- 
dressed to one of those anonymous cor- 
respondents, and which I understand by 
the answer returned, has heen put into 
your hands, fully explains my views with 
regard to the circumstances and grounds 
of the mis+statement. By his desire, Inow 
give you full permission to publish that 
letter in any way you shall judge proper ; 
but only on this condition, that it shall be 
addressed to some respectable person. 
This was the only stipulation I required 
ef your friend, who still (unnecessarily I 
think) conceals his name. The letter is 
not written in such a way as it would ap- 
pear to the public to be addressed to 
yourself, aud I should not wish that it 
sliould' appear merely with myown name, 
If, however this should net be convenient, 
it o¢curs to me this moment, that it may 
have the title of “ addressed to a friend 
of M. de Luc ;” for as I have every wish 
to do ample justice to your character, 
for which I trust you will not think it flat- 
tery when I say, that I entertain the 
highest respect, L would not be scrupulous 
about the mode of making reparation for tr 
the unintended injury, 
‘The Monthly Magazine, which has the 
most extensive circulation, might perhaps 
be a proper channel; and if you shall exs 
press a wish to that purpose, f would have 
it introduced in our Scot’s Magazine ; in 
which case it may be taken from the 
Monthly, which we see regularly, I have. 
the honor to be your most obedient hum- 
ble servant, 
James Mitrar, 
Note referred to in the Letler, extracted 
JSrom the Encyclop. Britan. vol, xiii. 
p. 706. 
“Tn again mentioning the name of a 
Philosopher so respectable as M. de Lue, 
we embrace the first opportunity of doing 
him justice, and of vindicating his cha- 
racter against an unfortunate misconcep~ 
tion of the Jate Prof. Robison; a mistake | 
which we have inadvertently contributed 
to disseminate by quoting Dr. Robison’s 
statement in our Account of Dr. Black, 
where M. de Luc is accused of having 
arrogated to himself Dr. Black’s discovery 
of latent heat. 
“M. de Luc’s vindication of himself in 
the 12th Number of the Edinburg Review 
is before the public. We owe it to can- 
dour and justice, to acknowledge our 
conviction, that Dr, Robison was too 
hasty in his assertion; and that M. de 
Luc, so far from arrogating to himself the 
doctrine of latent heat, has in various 
parts of his numerous writings expressly 
mentioned Dr. Black as the author of 
that doctrine. This will appear from 
the following citations. In his “ Intro< 
duction a la Physique terrestre,” p. 102, 
M. de Lue thus expresses himself: “ Ne 
connoissant point le feu latent dans la 
vapeur aqueuse, dont la premiére décou- 
verte est due au Dr. Black.” Again, p, 
252 of the same work; “ Ce qui dévelop-, 
poit Pidée de chaleur latente, par laquelle 
le Dr. Black aooit designé ce phénoméne.” 
And at p. 385. “ Le Dr. Black ayant 
découvert qu'une certaine quantité de cha- 
leur dispafoissoit quand la vapeur de 
eau bouillante se forme, nomma ce. phé- 
noméene chaleur latente-dans la oapeur.”: 
We trust that these quotations, with M. 
de Luc’s own justification of ‘himself < 
above referred to, will be sufficient to:ex- 
culpate him from the charge of literury 
felony so warmly brought against him by 
Prof. Robison, and we have no doubt the 
Professor himself, were he still alive, © 
would, under such evidence, retract his 
accusation,” 
For 
r 
