86 HISTORT of the SOCIETY. 



dable, not by the ftrength of the arguments it employed, but 

 by the name of the author, the heavy charges which it brought 

 forward, and the grofs mifconceptions in which it abound- 

 ed *. 



Before this period, though Dr Hutton had been often ur- 

 ged by his friends to publifh his entire work on the Theory of 

 the Earth, he had continually put ofF the publication, and there 

 feemed to be fome danger that it would not take place in his 

 own life time. The very day, however, after Mr Kirwan's 

 paper was put into his hands, he began the revifal of his manu- 

 fcript, and refolved immediately to fend it to the prefs. The 

 reafon he gave was, that Mr Kirwan had in fo many inftances 

 completely miftaken, both the facts, and the reafonings in his 

 Theory, that he faw the neceffity of laying before the world a 

 more ample explanation of them. The work was according- 

 ly publiihed, in two volumes octavo, in 1795 ; and contain- 

 ed, befides what was formerly given in the Edinburgh Tranfac- 

 iions, the proofs and reafonings much more in detail, and a 

 much fuller application of the principles to the explanation of 

 appearances. The two volumes, however, then publifhed, do 

 not complete the theory: a third, necefTary for that purpofe, re- 

 mained behind, and is (till in manufcript. 



After 



of the fame Revieiv, who refufed to infert it. This, indeed, I do not flate with 

 perfeft confidence, as I fpeak only from recollection, and would not, on that au- 

 thority, bring a pofitive charge of partiality againft men who exercife a profeflion 

 in which impartiality is the firft requifite. Suppofing, however, the ftatement 

 here given to be correft, an excufe is Hill left for the Reviewers ; they may fay, 

 that in communicating original papers, as they do not aft in their judicial capaci- 

 ty, they are not bound to difperife juftice with their ufual blindnefs and feverity, 

 but may be permitted to relax a little from the exercife of a virtue that is fo of- 

 ten left to be its own reward. 



* For a defence of Dr Hutton againft the charges here alluded to, I mull 

 take the liberty of referring to the Illujirations of the Huttonian Theory, p. 119. 



and 125. 



