142 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



very poor justice to the originals ; or rather of my large and 

 most satisfactory specimens, I have taken no casts. I wish 



that you could see them. Can it be that Mr. C feels 



injured by me ? A few years ago he sent me some facts in 

 relation to the rocks bordering on Massachusetts, and, if I 

 rightly recollect, I never replied to his letter on account of 

 some doubt as to his place of residence. But I inserted 

 nearly all of his letter in the second edition of my report, 

 (pp. 353 and 410,) with as handsome a bow of thanks as I 

 could make. He quotes, I see, from my first edition ; does 

 he know the use I made of his letter ? And does he not 

 feel hurt by my apparent neglect? I have sent on an 

 answer to the " Knickerbocker," and if the editors do not 

 insert it, I mean to get it into some widely circulated news 

 paper. I have made up my mind not to be greatly dis 

 turbed by these attacks, unless they appear to me more 



forcible than those of Professor Stuart and Mr. C . I 



know that my writings abound in vulnerable points, and 

 that many things in my character, habits, and connections, 

 are well calculated to stir up prejudice and invite attack. 

 Nevertheless, I am determined to push ahead, though in 

 some seasons of despondency I feel inclined strongly to 

 give over any further scientific efforts. But so long as you 

 and a few other scientific friends shall think that my efforts 

 do any good, I mean to hold on, if life and strength be 



FROM DR. EDWARD HITCHCOCK. 



AMHERST, March 12, 1837. 



I THANK you for your rebuke respecting the 



personalities in my writings. Let the righteous smite me: 

 it shall be a kindness ; and let him reprove me ; it shall be 

 an excellent oil which shall not break my head. I confess 

 I was not aware that the fault which you mention was one 

 to which I am particularly prone ; but this is no proof that 

 I am not. I wish, however, to make a few remarks upon 



