280 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



fertile of them. Thus : &quot; Mr. Longworth s remarks abound 

 in so many errors and inconsistencies, that we shall expect 

 scarcely to notice all.&quot; &quot; Another gross assertion^ etc. Re 

 ferring to another topic, he says, &quot; This question we, there 

 fore, consider as satisfactorily settled, without discussing 

 Mr. Longworth s conflicting views about male and female, 

 Keen s,&quot; etc. 



This somewhat tragical comedy is now nearly played out, 

 and we have spoken a word just before the fall of the cur 

 tain, because, as chroniclers of events, and critics of horti 

 cultural literature and learning, it seemed no less than our 

 duty. We have highly appreciated Mr. Hovey s various 

 exertions for the promotion of the art and science of horti 

 culture, nor will his manifest errors and short-comings in 

 this particular instance, disincline us to receive from his pen 

 whatsoever is good. 



We hope that our remarks will not be construed as a 

 defence of western men or western theories, but as the 

 defence of the truth, and of one who has truly expounded 

 it, though, in this case, theory and its defender happen to 

 be of western origin. Whatever errors have crept into 

 Mr. Longworth s remarks should be faithfully expurgated; 

 and perhaps it may be Mr. Hovey s duty to perform the 

 lustration. If so, courtesy would seem to require that it 

 should be done with some consciousness, that through this 

 whole controversy Mr. Longworth is now admitted to have 

 been right in all essential matters ; and if, in error at all, 

 only in minor particulars, while Mr. Hovey, in all the con 

 troversy, in respect to the plainest facts, has been changing 

 from wrong to right, from right to wrong, and from wrong 

 back to right again. We do not think that the admirable 

 benefits which Mr. Longworth has conferred upon the 

 whole community by urging the improved method of culti 

 vating the strawberry, has been adequately appreciated. 

 We still less like to see gratitude expressed in the shape of 

 snarling gibes and petty cavils. 



