352 LETTER TO 



Dr. Stanger, and myself, delivered to the pre- 

 sident. These were the only parts of my con- 

 duct, in that undertaking, which can be called 

 public, except this appellation should also be 

 given to the subscribing of a small sum of 

 money towards defraying its expence. My pri- 

 .vate conduct in it was studiously guarded ; for 

 as it very soon appeared to me, that the dispute 

 must be terminated by a court of law, I held 

 all private discussion of it with the fellows as 

 useless, and tending only to produce mutual 

 irritation of mind. I therefore constantly for- 

 bore to introduce it as a subject of conversation, 

 in the presence of a fellow. My reserve upon 

 this point was indeed so strict, that one of that 

 order, with whom I am more intimately con- 

 nected than with any other physician in London, 

 could not refrain from mentioning it to me, at 

 the same time that he compared my behaviour 

 in this respect with that of another licentiate of 

 his acquaintance, who made the dispute a topic 

 of conversation whenever they met. I mean, 

 however, only to state, not to extenuate my 

 conduct ; for had it been as active as that of 

 Dr. Stanger, I should for this very reason have 

 thought it entitled to considerable applause. 

 But I feel ashamed at occupying your Lord- 

 ship's attention with such trifles. Nothing in- 

 deed could have induced me to present them 



