60 ARE N ARIA BALEARIC A. [February, 



of controversy ; the point of honour forbade our declining 

 what was tantamount to a challenge, Jacta est alea, as Caesar 

 said on crossing the Rubicon. We have thrown down our gage ; 

 let truth and honour be the umpires^ and we are indifferent 

 about the issue. If Ave are truthless and dishonoured, we de- 

 serve to be foiled, and if so, we promise to admit our error ; but 

 it will be time enough to confess when we have been proved to 

 be in the wrong. For the present, we justify whatever has been 

 done in the matter. More than this, we condemn what Mr. 

 Watson has done, and tell him publicly that he ought to be 

 ashamed of his ways, and amend them. We have stated the 

 truth, so far as it was known to us. That Mr. Watson has 

 stated what he did not know to be true, and insinuated what he 

 might easily have known to be false, we do most solemnly and 

 confidently assert. 



If we are to abide faithful to the principles on which the Neiu 

 Series of this journal was established, and in conformity to 

 which it has hitherto been conducted, we must give publicity to 

 all facts which are reported by correspondents on whose fidelity 

 and accuracy reliance ought to be placed. Our pages, as has 

 been repeatedly stated, are at the service of every one who has 

 any strictures to offer, or any animadversions to make, on any 

 communication whatever which is printed in the ' Phytologist,' 



It is hoped that our readers will be satisfied with what we 

 have done to justify our correspondent and ourselves. There 

 has been no display of wounded vanity, egotism, or amour 

 propre, in our defence ; we have guarded ourselves against 

 acerbity of language as well as against bitterness of spirit. The 

 miserable being who is continually spitting venom, scattering 

 firebrands, whose indignation seethes like the hot steam of a 

 boiling cauldron, scalding, scorching, and piercing to the heart 

 every one within reach, is an object of sincere commiseration, 

 but not of ribald ridicule. 



The most valuable reproof and rebuke, when administered in 

 the acrimonious spirit of calumny and detraction, are lost ; the 

 object, which should be peace and goodwill, is sacrificed to the 

 means; the latter assume an undue prominence, and the result 

 is that the breach, instead of being healed, is made wider than 

 ever. We hope we have now satisfied all reasonable persons 

 that our intentions now, as heretofore, are pacific. We are the 



