200 D.'s Second Reply to C. on Mr. Hcmpatlis Thcori). 



wise expose some artful attempts to traduce and calumniate the 

 character of Mr. Herapath as a scientific vvritei', which would 

 make a singular contrast with the claims C. would lay to can- 

 dour, " integrity," and " honourable feeluig." But these things 

 I choose to pass over. 



Few people dislike anonjnnous controversy more than I do. 

 Attacks of this kind have ever appeared to me ui the light of 

 character assassinations ; and hence I would wish to see them 

 banished fi-om society. But when once such productions are 

 allowed to appear — what is to be done ? Ought we to permit 

 them to pass unnoticed ? Ought we to suffer their authors to 

 triumph uncorrected ? Or, rather, Is it not a duty we owe to 

 ourselves and the community to expose the vanity of their pre- 

 tensions ? And if, with due regard to our own character, this 

 cannot be done in propria persona, we must of course descend 

 to their own level, and oppose them anonymously. This is the 

 very method I have taken with C. He commenced an attack 

 on INIr. Herapath in a style, to which no person who valued his 

 credit coidd openly reply. Perceiving the shallowness of this 

 writer, and that he sought to cover a want of depth and sound- 

 ness by quamt terms and flippant expressions, I felt an incli- 

 nation, as no other person appeared to take it up, to lay open 

 his hollow pretensions in the way that I have. The conse- 

 quence is, that, finding himself foiled, he, though a volunteer 

 aggressor, has been the first to complain. Writhing under the 

 justice of my remarks, and convinced of the badness of his 

 cause, he flies out into open invective against my occasionally 

 using, in a contest which no one advised him to commence, the 

 identical weapons of his own choice. Can the woi'ld desire a 

 greater or more decisive proof than this of Ins owii conviction 

 of the unshaken stability of his adversary's case? He threatens 

 indeed to palliate his discomfiture with "contempt;" an excel- 

 lent shield, surely, for an inglorious defeat. Without descend- 

 ing to an employment of the term, the world can perceive how 

 much above it my sentiments of him rise. However, I by no 

 means wish to discourage his resolution. I think it the wisest 

 course, under present circumstances, he can take. Should no 

 credit flow from such a retreat, there will at least result this 

 comfort to myself and advantage to him, — that I .shall avoid 

 further trouble, and he further exposure. 



I am, gentlemen, vours, &c. 



D. 



LV. On 



