16 Dr. Mac Culloch(0n 



which it includes chances not to meet the public feelings or pur- 

 suits, when it chances to be a new fact unconnected with our 

 previous knowledge, its general fate is, to be consigned to speedy 

 oblivion. To keep it alive is, therefore, of use ; if, at least, it is 

 one of those facts which may, by extension, be converted to pur- 

 poses of utility. What I have now to add is indeed so little, 

 that on no other view, perhaps, would it be worth communicating. 

 But in this view every thing will be of use ; nor shall I require 

 any apology for the quotation I have made from a paper already 

 printed, since it will be advantageous to the public that the 

 journal which contains the greatest mass of evidence, and \\-hich 

 undertook first to examine the subject, should also contain the 

 whole evidence that can be accumulated. If I were inclined to 

 add much to these preliminary remarks, it would be my regret 

 that the subject in general should have met with, not merely 

 neglect, but opposition ; as if the infliction of an evil on society, 

 instead of the communication of a benefit, had been meditated. 

 As far as my own personal efforts have gone, and as far also as 

 my own knowledge extends, I have not found a single individual 

 who has been willing to make, or rather to repeat, the trials, 

 even were the readiest and amplest opportunities were present. 

 And this, not only as to fishes, not yet made the subject of ex- 

 periment, but even as to those of which the success has been 

 demonstrated. On the contrary, the proposition has invariably 

 been met by counter arguments, priori arguments ; just as if 

 there had been no evidence existing, and as if attempts at the 

 improvement of human life were disgraceful or noxious. Experi- 

 ment used to be considered the road to knowledge : evidence has 

 commonly been considered a thing to be examined, and, if true, 

 to be admitted. It is probable that opinions on this subject have 

 changed since the days of Bacon ; since, at least as far as my 

 acquaintance extends, Mr. Arnold, my original friend and experi- 

 menter on this subject, is the only man who has not rejected what 

 has been proposed, and who has gone steadily on in what used to 

 be considered the path of a true philosopher. Doubtless an ob- 

 jector may be allowed to question the personal veracity of a 



