A reply to certain observations of John Forbes, M.D / [George Macilwain].

  • George Macilwain
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A reply to certain observations of John Forbes, M.D / [George Macilwain]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to give the Review-reading public some idea of Dr. Forbes’ review¬ ing ; for we do not suppose that our case is singular. We shall now take leave of Dr. Forbes; and we have endea¬ voured, in this the only reply we ever made to any remarks on our writings, to avoid all undue asperity. At parting, however, we would offer our Reviewer a little advice, which we hope he will take kindly, and which we sincerely believe it will be his interest to follow. For our parts, we doubt the policy—may we add, propriety ?— of a practising physician erecting himself into a critic of the works of his neighbours and contemporaries; and we have still less con¬ fidence in the further combination of editor and proprietor. Such a Review seems to us an anomalous affair—to borrow a sea phrase, “ a suspicious craft”—a strange hybrid, a combination of all sorts of principles !—a sort of psychological monstrosity, the result of an in¬ tellectual polygamy, in which we can distinguish no features but professional vanity, and mercantile speculation. Still, were it a thing distributing Justice, we should never quarrel with its consti¬ tution ; but the moment it endeavours to render its articles pun¬ gent by carping at the reputation of men engaged in the profession which it should respect, its pretensions are reduced to the level of mere trade, without the redeeming esprit de metier of the currier. The conventionalism which supposes it a point of honor to con¬ ceal the name of a writer, whose conduct is impugned, seems to us to require the greatest caution in its application. In our view, every man should he responsible for what he does. A Reviewer should recollect that moral principles are immutable; they have no plasticity which admits of their being moulded to our prejudices or our interests. A Reviewer’s business is to give a critical analysis, a faithful digest, or a mere announcement of a book, or to let it alone. He has no right, by the slightest departure from the strictest requisitions of truth and justice, to impugn the character, whether professional or literary, of the author. The honor (?) which would conceal such moral infraction, appears to us to be precisely that which is said to exist among thieves ; the real bond is self interest: the real ultimatum, the getting of money; the identity of the principle absolute : viz. doing that which we dare not avow. The
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