Pièce 206 - William Whewell to Richard Jones

4 pp.

Trinity College - WW is pleased RJ has defeated his internal foes and is sure he will do the same with his external adversaries. WW would very much like to see a fair review of his book ['The History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Time', 3 vols., 1837] in the Edinburgh Review - 'if it were only for the sake of the ancient times when it used to contain the judgements of Playfair [John Playfair], Mackintosh [James Mackintosh] and such people. And though I have little respect for its philosophy or philosophers at present, I know no other periodical in which sound philosophy would appear with a better grace'. WW hears 'nothing but what convinces me it [his book] will make its way among those who shape the opinions of future generations'. WW would like RJ to review it in the Edinburgh. He thinks the British Critic will treat his book with fairness. WW is writing a little book on University education ['On the Principles of English University Education', 1837]: 'I think it is much more likely to have a popular currency than either of the other books; and of course it is founded, actually and professedly, upon the history, as all good books in future should be'.