Correspondence between Mr. Granville Sharp Pattison and Dr. N. Chapman : also, A refutation of certain calumnies published in a pamphlet entitled "Correspondence between Mr. Granville Sharp Pattison and Dr. Nathaniel Chapman".

  • Pattison, Granville Sharp, 1791-1851.
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Correspondence between Mr. Granville Sharp Pattison and Dr. N. Chapman : also, A refutation of certain calumnies published in a pamphlet entitled "Correspondence between Mr. Granville Sharp Pattison and Dr. Nathaniel Chapman". 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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    8 J there are introduced into its pages a great number of highly respectable names, and these are often employ- ed by its number as confirmatory of certain statements. Here I confess that Dr. Chapman has shewn some cun- ning. His object has been, by scattering through the pages of his Correspondence, .respectable names, to impress the minds of his readers, that his statements do not rest upon his own assertion ; but that they are con- firmed by the gentlemen whose names he so frequently introduced. The trick may deceive a careless reader, but is detected at the first perusal by a man of atten- tive observation. For it is discovered, that wherever a stat-ment of any importance is made, it has no name to confirm it, and rests upon the single assertion of the author. When, however, something is mentioned which is not of the slightest moment in the controversy, there are a number of names bro't forward to prove that it was so. e, g. We are told that I made no complaint to Dr. Hare upon my arrival, when he informed me that the election to the chair of anatomy had already taken place. I can believe this ; as I am satisfied, let my feeling of disappointment have been ever so severe, I would not have been so weak as to have exposed myself to a stranger. Before Dr. Dewees and others it is stated that { thanked Drs Chapman and Phy^ick for attending my introductory lecture. This is very possible ; and it is very probable that they in their turn thanked me for attending their introductory discourses, as such thanks are usual on such occasions. Statements of the charac- ter of those just given, are the ones to which in most instances he restricts his confirmation ; but the desire to garnish his pages with names, sometimes carries him a little further ; and although he never haB the hardi- hood to bring forward the names of gentlemen to con- firm those assertions upon which the question rests, and which would affect the controversy, still he em- ploys them occasionally as supporting facts of more con- sequence than those I have related. Whenever he does this, it is probable that the names are used without the •*s2s^;Yk*i