TO MR. DICK. 
689 
from those unjust and totally groundless imputations which Mr. 
Dick has so studiously endeavoured to cast upon me. I flatter 
myself I shall be able to prove, that the fever-heated zeal which 
Mr. D. appears to possess for the professional welfare of his di¬ 
plomatic progeny has materially flattened his “ intellectual or¬ 
gan,” I will not suppose that it has led him wilfully to trans¬ 
gress the rules of common civility and candour. 
Mr. Dick begins with a lecture on the importance of publish¬ 
ing detailed accounts of the cases of Veterinary Jurisprudence, 
on condition that no remarks shall follow or be intersected in 
these reports; that is to say, that no elucidation of the subject 
is to be admitted, or inquiry made into the merits of the evidence 
of the witnesses, or the decision of the judges. Having some¬ 
what overleaped this sacred fence of Mr. Dick’s, and more espe¬ 
cially having had the presumption to extend my observations 
to the evidence of one of his owji (former) pupils , he becomes 
impatient, feels touchy, and indignantly “ turns round on this 
self-elected judge,” and exultingly asks, “ what he knows about 
chords?” Calmly, Mr. Dick; authoritative language may do 
in a lecture-room, but somewhat more is necessary in a dispas¬ 
sionate inquiry, whether a “ criticised critic” be engaged in it 
or not, provided just and true conclusions are the objects aimed 
at. 1 said that it was doubtful “ whether the horse laboured 
under the chords at all;” and my doubts were partly grounded 
on the information Mr. Dick himself gives in his evidence. And 
let any one read over the contradictory jargon of some of the 
witnesses; and let him say whether, to say the least, it was not a 
matter of doubt as to the real nature of the horse’s disease. Mr. 
Dick and I had only the evidence of farriers to guide us in our 
opinions; and how much or how little either of us chose to give 
credit to such authorities can be of little or no consequence to 
any body; and I do not care a straw about conceding the point 
to Mr. Dick, as it was at best only a mere matter of indifferent 
speculation in me. The sudden “turn round” and charge of 
Mr. Dick’s there, affects nothing, nor any body, not even the 
poor horse, for he recovered. Mr. Dick only shews his extreme 
sensibility of offence: this, the “ head and front of my offend- 
ing,” puts him quite out of humour; so that, instead of coming 
directly to the proper point, by way of preamble he falls into a 
conjured sort of reverie about quack doctors and phrenologists, 
and makes a wanton and groundless attack upon the motives 
which, in his opinion, induced me to publish the report at all ; 
and then endeavours to prove, that I have misquoted the evidence, 
and made a “ garbled statement;” and the conclusions which he 
draws from his own delusions or inventions have persuaded him. 
