360 Dr. HerscheVs Revieiver reviewed. 



tion of the experimental essay in question is surely unneces- 

 sary, yet it may not be amiss to do something in this wav, 

 for the sake of disabusing many other very intclliocnt per- 

 sons who otherwise might be misled by criticisms as confi- 

 dently delivered by this reviewer as they appear to us, one 

 and all of them, ill founded. 



It would be a very unlucky issue indeed, especially of 

 experimental researches, when pursued by a man of Doctor 

 Herschel's abilities, to be wholly destitute of value. Ne- 

 vertheless this reviewer, as has been already noticed, from 

 the beginning to the end of his lucubrations on the essay, 

 very carefully inculcates that it ought to be so estimated. ' 



Though we are far from questioning the right of priv.itc 

 judgement, especially within the calm precincts of philoso- 

 phy, yet we are'of opinion that fair controversy will here 

 always reject an union with the passions ; and that the 

 ]ove of truth for its own sake, when it is in reality the 

 governing principle, will sweeten opposition, and join to- 

 gether antagonists in sincere and mutual esteem. 



Accordingly, on the present occasion, from the many 

 prefatory eulogiun)s on the author of the essay, we naturally 

 expected, along with any power of argument, gentleness 

 and decorum on the part of the reviewer, when exposing the 

 irnagined failures of a person who has done so much for Sci- 

 ence, and who in every view of his character was so highly 

 entitled to consideration. 



In place of that deference, however, which we looked 

 for, and which certainly would in no way have weakened 

 the force of the reviewer's fancied refutations, the very 

 contrary seems to be indulged in. Everything in the course 

 of his strictures, in point of manner, is so sour and super- 

 cilious, and 80 totally exclusive of approbation, as verv ill 

 corresponds with any measure of complacency, or respect 

 for the author of the essay. This, when confronted with 

 that ample store of compliment and encomiums which 

 usher in the strictures, is in some danger, we fear, of being 

 viewed by many as a very gross inconsistency ; and so far, 

 perhaps, the reviewer has been unfortunate in exposing the 

 cordiality of his professions to some detrree of doubt. 



At a meeting of our little circle lately, this wayward sort 

 of see-saw of first writing an author so handsomely ?/p, and 

 then innnediately so completely down again, was not spared. 

 One observed, tartly, that so novel and incongruous a plan 

 of criticism was like wrapping up garlic and assafceiida in 

 verveil and rose leaves : another, that he never yet had found 

 the sprinkling of lavender or Hungary water entirely to 



countervail. 



