071 An imal Flu ids . 297 



in italics, and placing between inverted commas, words 

 which have not been used by my adverse friend— such base 

 proceedings I am charged withal ! As for italics, I knew 

 no better than that all writers, for the sake of emphasis, do 

 employ them either for their own words or those of other 

 writers. The word elegant so complained of is not in- 

 tended as a quotation, it is my oun word which Dr. Marcet 

 has mistaken. As for inverted commas, the very few pas- 

 sages they include, T think no one woidd apprelicnd are 

 his writing, except two or three instances. Here 1 cannot 

 perceive any misquotation worlh the slightest notice, being 

 of perhaps of a word or two only, except one passage. 

 There I confess the heinous offence, and express my con- 

 trition sincerely, viz. for " fire-side of the drawing-room," 

 in future read " the large dismal subterraneous laboratory 

 is now changed for the fire-side of a comfortable study." 



Again : mv respectable adversary is offended with what 

 he is pleased to call irony. I can do no more than declare, 

 whether I shall be again accused of irony or not, that I en- 

 tertained more of respect than sufficient for subduing any 

 such humour. 



The last offence is jocularity not suitable for the ad- 

 vancement of science. If in such a vein T have; written 

 offendinglv, " T have shot mine arrow o'er the house and 

 hurt a brother." This mode of^ writing, however, has the 

 high authority of a great poet and stil! greater philosopher : 



" rJdeiKcm dicere verum 



Quid vetat ?" 



1 wish I could be more frequently jocular, as so many 

 occurences in common life are experienced to make one 

 sad. Hence, I would rather live with Horace, than with 

 the melancholy moralist Jaquez. Some allowance, too, 

 should be made for the diflfering natures of individuals, 

 from the elements being so differently mixed : 



" Nature has made strange fellows in her time : 

 Some there be of such vinegar aspect. 

 That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, 

 Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable." 



The foregoing pages of rejoinder will, I trust, save me 

 the trouble of many intended remarks on Dr. Marcet's 

 paper, independently of its relation to the questions at 

 issue. A few comments only I now beg to be allowed to 

 deliver. 



1 . The animal matters in the fluids examined are stated 

 to be of two kinds, viz. coagulahle or alLtiminous matter, 



Vol.39. No. It)8.^pn7 1812. U and 



