496 LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 



lot of meat has more bone than another, one of the men turns his 

 back and shuts his eyes, while the quartermaster, pointing to the 

 bony heap or any other, inquires, " Who shall have this ?" and so 

 the matter is settled. Now the cleaver is the only instrument used 

 in these dissections, and the purser's steward can do the business 

 just as well as the anatomist. 



Dickerson. I knew you'd say so, my young friend. Let the 

 anatomists dress wounds and give lectures in the hospitals. When 

 I studied the sciences, particularly botany, I never heard of such a 

 thing as comparative anatomy. 



Poinsett. I have anticipated your decision. The name of Coates 

 is stricken from the list. The next is Professor W. R. Johnson, 

 " Natural Philosophy or Physical Science." What shall be done 

 with him and his department ? 



Wil/ces. If I have any influence with you, let him be dismissed. 

 I pretend to know something about this " Natural Philosophy" my- 

 self. I can make pendulum observations, and that's the main 

 thing ; and I don't want any one on board who knows more about 

 it than I do. Besides, I owe this Johnson a grudge. Some years 

 ago I made some magnetical experiments on " Smith's Compass 

 Needle." I performed them on the most scientific principles, and 

 drew my conclusions from the most profound deductions. Taking 

 experiments, deductions, and conclusions together, there could be 

 no earthly doubt about my results. I expended much time and 

 labour on my report. My claims as a scientific man rested upon 

 it. I was proud of it, justly proud of it ; anybody would have been 

 proud of it ; Smith was proud of it. And what do you think was 

 done with this paper in Philadelphia ? Why, some institute or so- 

 ciety had the audacity to appoint Professors Bache and Henry, and 

 this same Johnson a committee to examine it. They did so, and 

 absolutely reported that my deductions were absurd ! Had they 

 ventured slightly to differ from me, I could have borne it, because 

 there may be differences of opinion even as regards experiments in 

 the exact sciences j but to say that the very reverse of my demon- 

 strations was true, which was tantamount to declaring that, so far 

 from being right, I was ridiculously wrong, was unbearable; If I 

 command the expedition, Johnson shall not go ! ! ! 



Dickevson* I fear it will be considered strange, if not contradic- 

 tory in me, that I cannot entirely concur with our young com- 



