An apology, for differing in opinion from the authors of the Monthly and Critical Reviews; on 1. Literary communications. 2. Variolous and vaccine inoculation. 3. Dr. Jenner's discovery of vaccine inoculation. 4. The means of preventing febrile contagion. 5. The establishment of charitable institutions / [John Coakley Lettsom].

  • John Coakley Lettsom
Date:
1804
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An apology, for differing in opinion from the authors of the Monthly and Critical Reviews; on 1. Literary communications. 2. Variolous and vaccine inoculation. 3. Dr. Jenner's discovery of vaccine inoculation. 4. The means of preventing febrile contagion. 5. The establishment of charitable institutions / [John Coakley Lettsom]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    With refpeCt to the motive of fubmitting my prefent Apology to public notice, it is that of vin¬ dicating my own character, and of the friends immediately connected with this defence, againfl afperfions which appeared to me equally unme¬ rited and illiberal] and this I have endeavoured to do in a candid and difpafiionate manner, with¬ out infinuating any reflections againfl my a flail - ants, but fuch as might neceflarily refult from arguments brought forward in felf-defence. If I fhould have adopted their example, and admitted, even againfl themfcives, unbecoming reflections on private or public character, I would not hefi- tate to offer another apology for inadvertencies which might have efcaped in a hafly compofition] for, however feverely I may have been treated, I harbour no animofity'j but gratefully cherifh the recolleClion of the various and invaluable inftruClion I have reaped from their pages, not one of which has efcaped my perufal. So far, indeed, am I from entertaining the moft diftant with to le fieri their reputation, or the extenfive circulation of their Mifcellanies, that I fhould re¬ joice to find them univerfally difliminated ; not on account of pecuniary emolument, but of the wide interefis of the community] for they cannot be ftudied without moral informa¬ tion, nor followed without refinement of judg¬ ment and tafte. This has Teen my language in pri- i