On the Alkali in the Animal Fluids. 325 



moved every shadow of doubt," by legitimate inductive 

 reasoning. My opponent, not content with proofs by ex- 

 periment, has endeavoured to command assent by a most 

 respectable authority of opinion. But Truth is not the 

 daughter of rnere human authority, but of Time producing 

 evidence of sense and of reason. 



I beg permission to make a very few remarks, which 

 although justifiable, yet, being personal, will afford but 

 lenten entertainment, and still less instruction to the 

 public. 



In making the above authority the vehicle of his letter, 

 my opponent thinks proper to express disapprobation of 

 my mode of controversy, and to more than insinuate I 

 should not have been honoured with further notice, but 

 for the ''■ interference" of his friend. Accordingly, but for 

 this fortunate circumstance the public would not have been 

 instructed by his letter now under examination. This con- 

 duct I own, I think, is rather selfish; for a public-spirited 

 man will always make sacrifices for the benefit of the re- 

 public. It is however good, that the interference overcame 

 the resolution after four months obstinate resistance. The 

 head and front of my offending was, it seems, to the extent 

 of an attempt to be jocular, In which I never meant to in- 

 flict any wound of the feelings. It grieves me to find that 

 some of my expressions were misconstrued insidious- 

 ness : — non vulnera Jidelia amuntis, sed oscula blandosa 

 malignantis. In the endeavour to expose the inetficiericy 

 of the proposed method of investigation, and to honour il- 

 lustrious chem.ists, whose successful methods were un- 

 worthily disvalued, I preferred the manner of controversy 

 complained of to the alternative — a serious remonstrance. 

 For, as my afl'ectionate friend, the prince of philologists, 

 now no more ! was wont to say, " Cantanles minus via 

 l^dit." 



In conclusion, I would fain hope that, if this warfare 

 must be continued, special care will be employed that no- 

 thing be said, or arise, wliicb can reasonably excite painful 

 sensations, in either party. And if it be agreed that our 

 axioms and conclu.->ions are but inductive reasonings, ac- 

 cordinji to known facts, which therefore are liable to be 

 subverted* by the facts being multiplied; whatever be the 



* Expcrlpnti.-E ordo, primo lumen acccndit. deinde per lumen iter dc- 

 monitrat, iiicipicndo al) experlentia (irdiiiala et dij^csta, atijue ex ea I'du- 

 rcndo Hxiomata, atquc ex axiomatibus cunstitutis rursus nova cspcriniciita. 

 —i\ Bacuoig Novum Orgaiiuvt. 



X 3 issue. 



