2 Dr. Thomson^ Answer [Jan. 



could possibly be conformable to truth; except indeed those 

 individuals who are personally acquainted with the Andersonian 

 Professor. This review was published above a year before I had 

 an opportunity of seeing it; for the scientific journals in this 

 country are so numerous, and, as far as my own science is 

 concerned, so much the echo of each other, that instead of 

 takino- them all, I satisfy myself with a selection. The Journal 

 of iNlr. Brande, in consequence, I do not often see, as it is not 

 even ordered for the College library. On perusing the review at 

 the request of a friend, I saw that it required an answer, and 

 accordingly gave such a one as was requisite for vindicating my 

 character both as a chemist and a man. It would have been easy 

 to have retorted with ten-fold interest upon the author of the 

 review ; for there are very few chemical writers indeed whose 

 productions could be more easily exposed than the Andersonian 

 Professor of Glasgow. But I abstained from retaliation, because 

 I had no relish for cleansing such an Augean stable, and because 

 I had no wish to degrade myself so far as to put myself on a 

 level with Dr. Andrew Ure. The castigation which I gave was 

 very moderate ; though at the same time it was complete. Dr. 

 lire's answer I have never seen. I was aware that he could 

 advance nothing that could better his cause, or require any addi- 

 tional reply from me ; and I have laid it down as a rule never to 

 read any ill-natured attack upon me, unless I have previously 

 resolved to answer it. 



I had heard of the present review from many quarters before 

 it made its appearance ; for the author, with his usual want of 

 prudence, and buoyed up by a most uncommon stock of vanity 

 and self-sufficiency, made no secret of his object; and mentioned 

 every particular which he thought of consequence, or likely to 

 hurt my feelings, and circulated it in Glasgow before his review 

 appeared. And on its publication (after trying, it is reported, 

 some of the newspapers in vain), he got it printed and circulated 

 through Glasgow, in a weekly publication known by the name 

 of M'Phan's Glasgow Mechanic's Magazine. I was aware, 

 therefore, of the nature and object of the attack before it made 

 its appearance ; and wrote to my publisher in London to send 

 me clown a copy. 



I had resolved, before I saw it, to make a few remarks on it ; 

 and I now sit down with that object in view. Even yet I shall 

 refrain from inflicting the kind of castigation which the author 

 bO richly deserves, and which has more than once fallen to his 

 share already, particularly from my friend Mr. R. Phillips, and 

 the late Dr. Murray, of Edinburgh. At the same time I do not 

 promise to be quite so abstemious as I was in my last reply. I 

 observe that the tone of the writer is a good deal lowered, and 

 that he speaks with rather more reserve of his own prodigious 

 discoveries and improvements. Still, however, he indulges a 



