SHOEING. i6i 



I have more than once alTerted my determi« 

 nation to interfere as httle as poflible with the 

 opinions or inftrudiions of former writers, but 

 where it became unavoidably neceffary to 

 eftabhfh an oppofite opinion, or corroborate 

 a fart. It is a matter of fome furprife that 

 authors of eminence, who are naturally fup- 

 pofed to be *' armed at all points," (hould be 

 fo incautioufly off their guard, as to contradidt 

 themfelves in the very ad: and emulation of 

 conveying tuition to others. I have given a 

 mofi: ftriking inftance of this error in my 

 former volume, upon the inadvertency of 

 OsMER, who repeatedly fays, with the greats 

 cjl confidence and feeming beliefs '' Tendons 

 are unelaftic bodies ;'/ and frequently, in the 

 fame or the very next page, tells you, '* the 

 tendon 'was elongated y I believe fuch affertion 

 is of a complexion too paradoxical to require 

 from me the moft trifling elucidation. 



Faffing over this privilege of authors with 

 no other remark than bare remembrance, I 

 come direcftly to the analyzation of as palpable 

 a profeffional contradicftion broached by La 

 Fosse, and given to the public by Bart- 

 let, in the true fpirit of im.plicit and 



Vol. II. M enthufiaftic 



