PREFACE, xii
the publie, must neeessarily subject the author to a criticism which few are disposed to en- counter.
But as it appeared to me that scruples like these stood im the way of that which was alike just to the memory of Abernethy, and uscful to the public, I was resolved at all hazards to undertake at least a memoir myself. I shall say little of the difficulties of the task. I feel them to have been onerous, and I believe them to have been, m some respects, unex- ampled.
Apologies for imperfections im works which we are not obliged to write, arc seldom valued: the public very sensibly take a work for what it is worth, and arc ultimately seldom wrong in their decision. I have only said thus much, not in deprecation of criticism, so much as to show that I haye not shrunk from what I deemed just and useful on aceount of the somewhat oppressive sense I entertain of the risk or difficulty which it involves.
The seientifie reader, may, I fear, think that in endeavouring to avoid too tedious a gravity, �
