SECOND EDITION. XV 



paragraph has any other foundation than in the 

 creative fancy of Mr. Knight, the language in 

 which it is conveyed does not appear to be 

 quite so temperate, or so quahfied, as might be 

 expected from one Gentleman in addressing 

 another. 



Dr. Anderson sees, no doubt, in what manner 

 it is proper for him to treat an insinuation so 

 ilHberally made.* 



* The Doctor has since publickly invited Mr. Knight to an 

 amicable arbitration, in the following manlj' terms ; 



<< To T. A. Knight, Esq. 



** Sir, 

 « When I was first told that you had published a Letter 

 addressed to me, on the subject of Mr. Forsyth's Treatment 

 of Trees, I felt no anxiety concerning it, nor was at any pains 

 to procure the book. I conceived that it was written by a 

 Gentleman, and that of course it could contain nothing that 

 was unbecoming one of that character to write ; and, as what 

 we had both said on that subject was before the Public, I felt 

 no difficulty in abiding the decision of that Public concerning 

 it. I am sorry, however, to find, on reading your book of 

 late, that I had been in a mistake concerning you ; and that 

 you had there published such things as necessarily call upon 

 me to take this public notice of them. It would be degrading 

 to the character I bear, however, to multiply assertions un- 

 supported by proofs, which might be contradicted in the same 

 manner as I have experienced, without affording to the Public 

 any aequate means of discriminating truth from falsehood. 

 In order to avoid this futile kind of altercation, and to elucidate 

 the truth at once, without danger of error, I beg leave to 



