Examination of the objections made in Britain against the doctrines of Gall and Spurzheim / by J.G. Spurzheim. Article of the Foreign quarterly review / by Rich. Chenevix ; with notes by J.G. Spurzheim.

  • Spurzheim, J. G. (Johann Gaspar), 1776-1832.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Examination of the objections made in Britain against the doctrines of Gall and Spurzheim / by J.G. Spurzheim. Article of the Foreign quarterly review / by Rich. Chenevix ; with notes by J.G. Spurzheim. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    INTRODUCTION. Discussions, properly conducted, are of great utility. For that reason, I am always ready to examine every objection against our doctrines. But I am sorry to observe, that scientific pur- suits are so often degraded by selfish passions and the spirit of party ; that literary publica- tions are employed for the purposes of calumny and detraction ; that invectives are used instead of arguments; and that, by praising friends and blaming rivals, the progress of the arts and sciences, and the improvement of men, are mightily retarded. Such behavior I will never imitate ; nay, the illiberal and uncandid manner in which some British Reviews have taken up our investiga- tions, has hitherto prevented me from attempting justification. As, however, many persons have no inclination, and a greater number no time for comparing the original works with the reports of the critics ; and as in science the majority of readers believe, without examining for thcm-