94 APPENDIX. 



which I read to a private society, in which were present many 

 gentlemen that had attended your lectures, and yet all these 

 gentlemen expressed themselves pleased with the observation, 

 as new and interesting, and not one of them gave the least 

 intimation of their having ever heard it before. And yet those 

 gentlemen are as likely to remember any observation which 

 tends to the improvement of physic or surgery as any I know. 

 I shall mention their names, to justify my good opinion of 

 them Drs. Stark, Parsons, 1 Saunders, 3 Pepys, 3 and Ruston. 4 

 The observation was likewise mentioned in another society of 

 young gentlemen, and also in a public hospital, where many who 

 had been your pupils heard it ; and yet no person ever told me 

 before I published that paper (which was almost a twelvemonth 

 after I had first mentioned the subject) that you or any other 

 person had ever anticipated me. However, this I relate only 

 to show I was ignorant at that time of your having made the 

 observation. But now I know that you had, I have not the 

 least unwillingness to acknowledge it, and to do you justice in 

 any future publication. At the same time that I justify my 

 own conduct, give me leave to say that your manner of treat- 

 ing me (if fairly represented) was not so civil as might have 

 been hoped for. When you complained of me, 'tis a pity you 

 had not likewise hinted there was a possibility of my being 

 ignorant of your having had the idea. You might perhaps 

 too, without impropriety, have hinted that should it come to 

 my ears that you had anticipated me, I might possibly be 

 capable of such an exertion of candour as to acknowledge it. 

 But, to have done with suppositions, this at least I am sure of, 

 that though I may be as covetous of fame as most people, yet 

 I am incapable of taking any unjustifiable methods of ac- 

 quiring it. "I am, Sir, &c. 



" Dec. 31, 1768." 



This letter, Professor Monro could not but acknowledge, 

 " sufficiently satisfied him in having secured his title, as the 



1 Professor of Anatomy at Christ's Church, Oxford. 



2 Physician to Guy's Hospital. 



3 Physician to the Middlesex Hospital. 



4 Some of these gentlemen attended Dr. Monro's lectures about the same time 

 with myself, the others since. 



