Eaton^s Geology. 



91 



REMARKS. 



The Editor of the American Journal of Science and Arts, 

 having thought proper to throw his weight into the scale against 

 the critic in the North American Review, whose answer now ap- 

 pears, we shall also enter the arena, and declare that our opinion 

 differs from that expressed by him, toto coelo. We do not see 

 why it was necessary to designate the courtesy due to a distin- 

 guished gentleman, " less an act of courtesy than of justice" to 

 Mr. Eaton. Finding him thus self-constituted a party to the dis- 

 pute, we were not surprised at the eulogium he subsequently 

 passes upon Mr. Eaton. The defence set up for him, when it is 

 asserted, " that with respect to theory and nomenclature, there 

 is room both for fancy and error," is no small encouragement to 

 the Eaton school, which is thus assured of a comfortable corner, 

 to take a nap in, after their labours. When a new nomenclature 

 for chemistry, shall be proposed by some future inspired village 

 pedagogue, that will be done for chemical dynamics, which Mr. 

 Eaton has attempted to do for geology. The minds of ingenuous 

 young men, will be enfeebled and obscured, in the vain attempt 

 to draw from a mass of trashy ignorance, some particle of useful 

 knowledge, some beam of pleasant philosophy. We will not 

 enter into this criminal conspiracy against the powers of the hu- 

 man mind. When our columns shall cease to exhibit science as 

 it results from facts, learning without pedantry, and the divine 

 feelings of religion, without the cant of the old Pharisees, our un- 

 dertaking will be at an end. Sir James Mackintosh, in his able 

 account of the rise and progress of the reformation, has said of 

 " all those who oppose hinderances to free, fearless, calm, un- 

 prejudiced and dispassionate inquiry," that "they lessen the 

 stores of knowledge, they relax the vigour of every intellectual 

 effort, they abate the chances of future discovery." We lay our 

 account in meeting with much opposition, from men of this class. 

 But our object is not to win opinions from a limited number of 

 selfish individuals, more interested in humbugging the public, than 

 in enlightening it. We stand up for truth and justice ; our aim 

 is to instruct and amuse the millions — these are the " munificent 

 patrons" we look to for approbation. 



We have been unwillingly forced into these remarks; if it 

 should be necessary to recur to the subject, we inform those con- 

 cerned, that we mean to do it, con amore. Editor. 



