a 
THE 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
No. 126. | 
MARCH 1, 1805. 
SS eee 
(2, 0f Vox. 19, 
Mr. Puitiips, the Proprietor of this Magazine, having removed his Bufinefs from 
No. 71, St. Paul’s Church-yard, to No. 6, New BRIDGE-STREET, BLACKFRIARS, 
Communications are requefted to be addreffed to the latter place, poft paid, as ufual. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
“Yo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
FIND, not without fome furprife, by 
a letter in the third page of your Ma- 
gazine, publifhed Feb. 1, that I have 
been miftaken in fuppofing the critic of 
my Flora Britannica to be a Mr. Caley ; 
but having fallen into fuch an error, it Is 
my firft duty to beg the pardon, as I now 
co, of Mr. Caley, if fuch a perfon can be 
found, for baving fufpected him to be the 
author of the three letters which were the 
fubject of my reprehenfion. It is, how- 
ever, poffible, that-no botanift of that 
namie exifis, except a very intelligent one, 
who has been for fome years refident at 
New South Wales in the purfuit of his 
ftusies, and whois alluded to in page 
1074 0f my Flora. It is evident I could 
not fufpect this gentleman’ to be the 
writer of the letters in quellion, not only 
becaule of his diftant refidence, but be- 
caufe I was by no means ignorant of his 
*< fituation, connections, or abilities.”’— 
Of the latrer, indeed, I think fo highly, 
that, had I feen the name of Caley at full 
length to thefe letters, I fhould never 
’ have believed them to be his. He may, 
neverthelefs, be the perfon quoted by Dr. 
Hull, for F think he once lived at Man- 
chefter. 
I thall now reply to your Correfpendent, 
who, for fome reafon. beit known to him- 
felf, choofes to continue his attacks in the 
dark, under the fignature of R. H. C.—. 
‘Ftrutt, however, he will lay afide this dif- 
gue when he publifhes his promifed 
work, as there can be no honourable rea- 
fon for it. That I may commit no more 
perfonal miftakes, I hall endeavour to re- 
frain trom all conjectures refpeSting this 
writer till his book appears. If he then 
ftili remains concealed, I:fhall willingly. 
earn. what I-can: from his labours, and 
acknowledge his jult correstions, bur I 
~ Monruty Mac. No. 125. - 
fhall not think it my duty to the public 
to adopt any thing upon tru, nor juftice 
to myfelf to notice any mifapprehentions 
or falfe criticiims from an anonymous 
writer. ae 
I fhould be truly forry to © putany mif- 
conitrvétions on the motives which have 
diGtated his remarks.”? -Moft alluredly I. 
highly refpeét that privilege which he 
claims of judging for himflf, without 
which ne man can expeét or deferve to 
come at truth. If I have written any 
thing which fhould feem to interfere with 
this facred privilege, or to aflume any 
other authority than that of reafon, [ 
here unequivocally difclaim it. My an- 
tagenit maf, at che fame time, allow me 
my. own opinion, and I cannot, «» the 
inoft cool refie€tion, think bis remarks on 
my Flora more juft than when [I firit read 
them. My .former letter (ulficiently ex- 
plains, what is really the faét, that thefe 
remarks would by no means have excited 
any *‘ afperity cf cenfure,’’ bad they not 
referred me to the €Criticifm on the Lan. 
guage of Botany, in Mr. R..H.C.’s frit 
letter. I would not aggravate my offence, 
if jt be one 3 but I cannot heip faying, no 
reprehenfion could be too fevere, no con- 
tradiation too abfolute, for Mr. R. H.C,’s 
remarks on that head. I flatter mytelf, 
however, that if-my anfwer has been fe- 
vere, it has sot been found unjuft, fince 
this gentleman no longer infifs cn any 
point in his firft letter; nor indeed doves 
he d:fend any of his fubfequent obferva- 
tions, except two, to which I beg-leave, 
for the fake of truth, and to defend my 
own charaster, to offer a. full and difpaf- 
fionate reply. 
In the firlt place, it is alerted, that 
‘¢ there are {-veral piants, decifively afcer- 
tained to be indigenous, which are pur- 
pofcly. omitted in the flora Britaynica.” 
I would afk, what purpofe fuch an 
1 5 OR, , . omffion 
