4-20 Mr. T. S. Davies on Geomctri/ and Geometers. 



of the Earth that you are the publisher of that work, and as 

 the author is dead, to you I must complain of a most injurious 

 though not scandalous misrepresentation of my ileceased 

 father, which is to be found in it, vol. ii, ji. 91. There t'other 

 day happening accidentally to take up the book, I to my 

 astonishment read the following passage : — ' For one person 

 to yawn is sufficient to set all the rest of the company a yawn- 

 inf. A ridiculous instance of this was commonly practised 

 upon the famous MacLaurin, one of the Professors at Edin- 

 bur<rh. He was very subject to have his jaw dislocated, so 

 that when he opened his mouth wider than ordinary, or when 

 he yawned, he could not shut it again. In the midst of his 

 harangues, therefore, if any of his pupils began to be tired of 

 his lecture, he had only to gape or yawn and the Professor 

 instantly caught the sympathetic affection, so that he thus 

 continued to stand speechless, with his mouth wide open, till 

 his servant from the next room was called in to set his jaw 

 again.' 



"Nothing, Sir, can be more ridiculous and more contemp- 

 tuous than this description, at the same time nothing can be 

 more false, as hundreds of the most respectable persons in 

 England can attest. Mr. MacLaurin had no such defect, 

 nor indeed any defect at all in his person, being (what scarce 

 any other philosopher hitherto has been) a man of a handsome 

 person, elegant manners, and graceful delivery. It is very 

 hard therefore that he should be thus held forth as an object 

 of laughter and contempt in a book which, from the nature of 

 the subject and supposed merit of the author, will probably 

 reach posterity, and be dispersed thro' the World in different 

 translations. 



" I think I would be wanting in duty to my father were I to 

 pass over this insult to his memory without animadversion. 

 In what manner I shall contradict and resent it I have not yet 

 determined, but I thought it my duty to inform you as soon 

 as I knew of it. You, Sir, are a stranger to me, but as you 

 are, I understand, a gentleman of eminence and character in 

 your profession, I cannot doubt that you will immediately give 

 the necessary orders for checking the further propagation of 

 this falsehood, and repairing as far as is possible the injury 

 that has been already done. The love of truth and respect 

 for the deceased will, I am persuaded, prompt you to do so. 

 1 shall expect to hear from you, and am, Sir, 



" Your most obedient Humble Servant, 



"Jo. MacLaurin. 



"Direct for me to Mr.. John MacLaurin, Advocate, Edin- 

 burgh." 



