4 
verbatim in every one of the pamphlets which the occasion has called forth !" a gi'oss and 
palpable untruth, which requires no other contradiction than merely a reference to the 
)>aiTiphlet itself, at pages 27. and 28. 
Such are the means employed by a reviewer when he has predetermined, from certain 
motives, to ' write down,' as the term is, any particular book. "What were those motives ? 
Was it jealousy that any one, excepting himself, should come forward with an opinion 
respecting the Cape ; or did he fear that the misrepresentations of his own writings would 
be exposed by another book on that country, and that his only chance of protecting them, 
was by sneaking under the concealment of anonymous writing ? Was there not room 
enough in the world, then, for two works on the Cape ? He has, however, quite failed in his 
project, and will in the end discover that ' honesty is the best policy.' The vulgarity and 
malignity of his language present a true and faithful portrait of his mind. Take from 
him his pen, and he is nothing. 
Whatever may be the merits, if it have any, of the volume of Travels which now 
makes its appearance, its demerits will be diligently sought for; and that reader who 
wishes to know them, must look into one of the succeeding numbers of the Quarterly 
Review, as there can be no doubt that, having shown so much literary anxiety on the occa- 
sion of a small pamphlet, this reviewer, not to let slip so favorable an opportunity, will 
lose no time in setting his quill to work against a book so many times larger. Review- 
ing may be a very honest way of making money ; but a reviewer, equally with the hack- 
writer or the bookmaker, can only deserve respect when his pen is confined within 
those bounds which the feelings of a gentleman, and of a liberal mind, naturally pre- 
scribe to it. 
When Mr. Burchell proposed to himself the duty of giving the narrative of his travels 
to the public, he resolved not to imitate the example of some preceding travellers at 
the Cape, who have employed themselves in railing at each other ; and if he has been 
forced to transgress his own rule, the fault lies with those who, meanly presuming on his 
natural love of peace and tranquillity, have commenced an unprovoked attack, and com- 
pelled him to degrade his pen by replying to it. As it would be too much beneath 
him to descend to a level with the reviewer, by adopting his coarse language, he contents 
himself with a mere statement of facts, and leaves the rest to public opinion. 
Magna est vis veritatis, et prcevalebit. 
