A reply to Mr. Robin's remarks on the Essay upon distinct and indistinct vision published at the end of Dr. Smith's Complete system of optiks / by James Jurin.

Jurin, James, 1684-1750.

Date:: 1739

Credit: A reply to Mr. Robin's remarks on the Essay upon distinct and indistinct vision published at the end of Dr. Smith's Complete system of optiks / by James Jurin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$Hence it is, that fo many Jignal mijiakes\ are daily committed in philofophical [peculati¬ ons,, cwhich yet are often drejsd up by their Authors in Jo Jpecious and plaujible a manner\ that with fuch as want either the neceffary qua¬ lifications, or the leifure or inclination to ex¬ amine them, they pafs for new difcoveries, to the no little prejudice of‘Truth and uj'eful know¬ ledge, by preventing farther enquiry into what is looked upon to be already known. It is therefore of fervice to the Publick, that fuch miftakes Jhould from time to time be detected and laid open. And if thofe who un¬ dertake to do this, have only Truth in their view; if they are careful to examine well be¬ fore they cenfure, to reject nothing but what is really amifs, to commit no errors of their own while they are r edifying thofe of other men; if befides this they write with that candour, which becomes men of Learning, without ani- mofity or paflon, no way exaggerating the faults they condemn, but rather mitigating and excufmg them, rather endeavouring to preferve the reputation of the writer they cen¬ fure, by doing him fulljuftice for what is right and worthy of praije in his performances, than to run it down and ruine it for a few miftakes •, they will, by fuch a behaviour, de¬ fer ve the thanks not only of the Learned World in general, but even of the very perfon whofe overfights they are correcting. When$