290 ON THE UNCOMBINED ALKALI IN ANIMAL FLUIDS. 



Ar.thority no My opponent, Dot content with proofs by experiment, has 

 proof. endeavoured to command assent by a most respectable autho- 



rity of opinion. But Trulh is not the daughter of mere human 

 authority, but of Time, producing testimonies of sense and of 

 reason. 



I beg to have permission to make a very few remarks, which, 

 although justifiable, yet being personal, will afford but lenten en- 

 tertainment, and still less instruction, to the public. In mak- 

 ing this authority the vehicle of his letter, my opponent thinks 

 proper to express disapprobation of my mode of controversy, and 

 to more than insinuate, I should not have been honoured with 

 farther notice, but for the '' interference" of his friend. Ac- 

 cordingly, but for this fortunate circumstance the public would 

 not have been instructed by his letter before us. This conduct, 

 I own, I think is rather selfish j for a public-spirited man will 

 always make sacrifices of his feelings for the benefit of the 

 republic. It is, however, good, that the interference overcame 

 the resolution after four months' obstinate resistance. The 

 Reasons why head and front of my offending was, it seems, to the extent of 

 theauthorpre- ^^ attempt to be jocular, in which I never meant to inflict any 

 ferred a jocular i i r • /• . 



tone. wound on the feelings. It grieves me, certainly, to find, that some 



of my expressions were construed, insidiousness — "Non vul- 

 nera fidelia amantis, sed oscula blandosa malignantis." In the 

 endeavour to expose the inefficiency of the proposed method of 

 investigation, and to honour illustrious chemists, whose suc- 

 cessful methods were unworthily disvalued, I preferred the 

 manner of controversy complained of, to the alternative— a 

 serious remonstrance. For as my affectionate friend, the Prince 

 of Philologists, (now no more !) was wont to say, " Cantantes 

 minus via laedit." 



In conclusion ; I would fain hope, that, if this warfare must 

 be continued, special care will be employed, that nothing be 

 said or arise, which can reasonably excite* painful sensations in 

 either party. And if it be agreed, that our axioms and conclu- 



* I have no where charged Dr. M. in the terms alleged, that he had 

 committed bhmders. I can well spare the word blunder from my vocabu- 

 lary, having little use for it, although by the law of retaliation amply 

 justifiable. 



