352 MR. MAYHEW IN REPLY TO MR. MAVOR. 
at all events, made good his ground, even if he did not care to la¬ 
bour for the victory. In the position I hold, perhaps, he was not 
bound to be explicit with me ; but when the accumulated wisdom 
of ages and of countries is concerned, even his opinions, although 
they are not to be questioned, ought to be respectfully stated, if 
they are expected to be received. 
The penetrative faculty which discerned the character of the 
tumour while it was hidden from view enabled Mr. Mavor to per¬ 
ceive perils ordinary minds failed even to conjecture. I admire 
genius in all its forms, and regret through my agency it should 
have been wronged; but deeply has it, by my officiousness, been 
misrepresented. Mr. Mavor states clearly, he advised to leave 
the tumour entirely to itself; by which, of course, he means, he 
recommended it should in no way be disturbed or meddled with. 
The words, in any sense they can be made to bear, are unusually 
decisive. He who thinks he comprehends their meaning can give 
to them but a single signification; and how very strange must have 
been the mental condition of the person on whose information I 
made my report. I do not defend that individual. After Mr. Ma- 
vor’s plain denial I have no option but to view the affair as settled, 
and to regard it as a matter proved, that he did advise all applica¬ 
tions should be entirely withheld. Let me, however, pity the party 
who so far deceived himself as to believe he heard that which was 
never spoken. My pity is merited, because the case is extraor¬ 
dinary. That a non-professional person should think of iodine, 
which is not a drug in common use;—-that he should imagine it was 
employed in ointment;—that he should suppose its action could be 
benefited by friction;—and that he should conjecture it would be 
of service in abnormal enlargements, is altogether so very strange, 
that he who was mentally disposed to such marvellous self-decep¬ 
tion is certainly worthy of commiseration. An instance of the like 
kind I do not believe to have been recorded, and it deserves to be 
classed among the wonders of physiology. 
It is true, Mr. Mavor does not allude to iodine; but he states he 
recommended the tumour should be left entirely to itself; and as 
this could not be done if a powerful irritant was to be employed, of 
course his words contradict the advice I was told he gave. It would 
be beneath me to imagine he was capable of the meanness of re¬ 
servation; and if he could be supposed guilty of so low an artifice, 
all he has hitherto advanced would be discredited. Moreover, he 
gives emphasis to this part of his declaration by remarking, any 
person of practical experience, having seen the case, would enter¬ 
tain a similar opinion. Upon that point, therefore, there can be no 
mistake; and I sincerely feel for my poor informant, who, without 
a motive or a hope of gain, so oddly imposed upon his own belief. 
