Pièce 47 - James David Forbes to William Whewell

4 pp

Edinburgh - JDF thanks WW for the Smith's [Prize] Paper. He gives his comments regarding the 'offensive' article in the Edinburgh Review on WW's philosophy ['the Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, Founded upon their History', 2 vols., 1840]: 'I apprehend the Editor or Publisher must for the character of the work put a stop to such articles in future - and I have heard that he is quite aware that they will not be tolerated any more'. JDF is particularly annoyed since he had committed an article to the journal before it appeared: 'which I wish had not been sullied by such a piece of spite and injustice'. JDF's review would have appeared in the Quarterly Review had not Louis Agassiz already offered an article: 'I have hopes that my article will make a good impression, will correct many erroneous views prevalent on the glacier theory, and will direct the progress of Discovery, which is what a really good Review ought to do instead of being made the vehicle of self adulation and vituperation of others'. Further to his application to government [see JDF to WW, 21 Dec. 1841]: 'Lord Aberdeen and Sir George Clerk both expressed themselves in a very favourable, and the latter even in a sanguine, manner; Sir G. C. brought it before Sir R. Peel who does not seem to have discouraged the application'. JDF received a stunning reference from John Herschel, and two others from George Airy and Francis Baily. WW will be consulted at a later date. JDF is reducing observations made in the Alps with Herschel's actinometer.