ANNALS 



PHILOSOPHY. 



APRIL, 1813. 



Article I. 



Some Observations in Ansiver to Mr, Chenevix^s Attack upon 

 IVerner's Mineralogical Method, By Thomas Thomson, 

 M.D.F.R.S. 



The paper on which I propose to make some observations was 

 first pubh'shed in the 65th volume of the Annales de Chimie^ 

 rather more than five years ago. It was afterwards animadverted 

 upon, in the 69th volume of the same work, by M. D'Aubuis- 

 son. Had it continued in its original French dress I should have 

 been disposed to consider it as a sacrifice made by Mr. Chenevix: 

 upon the shrine of French vanity ; intended, perhaps, to render 

 his situation more agreeable during his abode in Paris, and to 

 facilitate his return to his own country : but as it has been no 

 less than twice translated into English, and as Mr. Chenevix has 

 himself added to one of thp translations what he calls an answer 

 to D'Aubuisson, some notice of it seems necessary. From the 

 confident style in which it is written, and the spirit of raillery 

 which runs through it, the paper is calculated to produce d 

 considerable effect upon young men just beginning the study of 

 mineralogy. On that account I hope it will not be considered as 

 out of season to make a few strictures on it, even at this lat^ 

 period. 



It was probably the respect to which they thought Mr. Che- 

 nevix entitled that has induced British mineralogists to take no 

 notice of his essay. For my part I think they have reasoned 

 inaccurately. The only true way of treating a man of science 

 with respect, is to examine the arguments by which he supports 

 his opinions, to adopt them if they appear sound and conclusive, 

 but to refute them if they are erronsous. Thi^ is the course 



Vol. I. IV. Q 



