68 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



difeafe, and greater excitement to judgment or 

 madnefs) we have fire upon fire, or effectual 

 cauterization treble refined. As they advanced 

 in danger, they increafed in courage, and ad- 

 hering invariably to the general intention of 

 " kill or cure, Sec. &c. — Began with oil of 

 vitriol, and oil of turpentine, &c. &c. on opening 

 the buds put in a fmall quantity of corrofive 

 mercury, arfenic,*' &c. ' But' fays the writer 

 (here he means Gibfon) ' let it be remembered, 

 that many a Horfe has been poifoned by thefe 

 medicines ignorantly ufed, and in too large, 

 quantities.' — " This very acknowledgement 

 (continues Taplin) for which I confefs I am 

 under infinite obligations, will ferve to corro- 

 borate my former affertion, that fome fyftem 

 has long been neceffary to refcue this mofl 

 ufeful and fuffering animal." — From stabula- 



RIAN IGNORANCE AND EMPIRICAL CONFI- 

 DENCE! 



After all this, what man relying upon the 

 integrity, and common fenfe, or fanity of in- 

 tellect., in Taplin, but would naturally fuppofe 

 that Gibfon (the author juit quoted) had re- 

 commended the above irrational, cruel, and 

 vulgar practice? Neverthelefs, on a bare refe- 

 rence to Gibfon, he will be aftonifhed (if 

 he be a flranger to the tactics of the Stabje 

 Directory) to find, that from the faid author, 



Taplin 



