Item 180 - Letter from Connop Thirlwall

Thanks WW for his Memoir on Hegel's Criticism of Newton's Principia: 'he is, to say the least, one of the most impudent of all literary quacks and I feel sure that there is no part of his so-called philosophy which, if carefully examined by a competent and impartial judge, would not lead him to a like conclusion'. CT 'has so much faith in the force of truth, as to believe that sooner or later Hegel's name will only be redeemed from universal contempt by the recollection of the immense mischief he has done. It is certainly a very remarkable phenomenon, and one which will deserve to occupy a large place in a future history of European philosophy and literature in the 19th century, that such a man should have exercised so great an influence over the mind of Germany'. CT would be surprised if this high opinion of Hegel is shared by a German whom WW would recognize as a competent judge of a scientific question.