344 Reply to Mr. Riddle's Remarks on Mr. Meilde's Paper 



order of the day is not science, but gambling and infidelity, twin- 

 sisters of ignorance, with all their kindred consequences. 



I readily grant that we have some sterling writers on Naviga- 

 tion; but it is also too well known that sorry pretenders, totally 

 unacquainted with the elements of science, take upon them to 

 compile books of navigation. Nay, it has been the dismal lot of 

 respectable works to fall into the hands of proficients in igno- 

 rance, who have republished them " revised and corrected" in a 

 form every way worthy of themselves. One thing which made me 

 more severe on such authors was, that they are so much in the 

 habit of giving distant approximations without the least intima- 

 tion that they are not theoreticallv correct. Indeed, so very ge- 

 nerally is this the case, that I have often met with persons who, 

 like Mr. Riddle, would hoot and sneer at my ignorance, if I only 

 hinted such a thing. This therefore makes me less ceremonious 

 in delivering my sentiments. 



At present I do not intend to follow Mr. R. through all the 

 shifts and stratagems to ^vhich he has been forced, in order to 

 put down truths which rest securely on their own bases ; but shall 

 merely point out some of the most glaring, reserving the rest till 

 another opportunity. 



After giving an example of correcting the moon's altitude, on 

 page 244, Mr. R. gravely consoles himself, saying, " This I hope 

 %vill be satisfactory." Now, I say it is most unsatisfactory, as well 

 as unfair and unjust : for I did not deny that with plenty of need- 

 less labour, which Mr. R. has kindly concealed, the altitude of 

 the centre might be had true in that way. But the peculiar su- 

 periority and unrivalled excellence of my method (as he calls it) 

 is, that by it the true altitude may be had correct with the least 

 possible labour, two corrections being thereby entirely avoided. 

 It is on this account that the latter method is always employed 

 in reducing the moon's place, for the construction as well as for 

 the correction of the lunar taides. But for all this, and " though 

 sanctioned by the authority of such names as Maskelyne, Pond, 

 and Brinkley;" yet persons like Mr. Riddle, who are faithfully 

 wedded to their old established habits, cannot be induced to 

 adopt it. 



To the scentific reader, my remarks on the quadrant must 

 appear perfectly reasonable and correct. Mr. R. has not been 

 able to show the contrary, when he has favoured us with the ex- 

 planation which is to be found every where. Indeed, so scanty is 

 the mathematical knowledge of most persons into whose hands 

 quadrants are put, that we can never be too simple in our expla- 

 nation ; and it must be admitted on all hands, the most simple 

 explanation is always the most scientific. Was Mr. R. afraid 

 that by simplifying the explanation, persons might make them- 

 selves 



