Artifacts & Documents: Manuscripts

Benjamin Silliman's Letter to Edward Hitchcock, Morning of December 19, 1844

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Benjamin Silliman first admonishes his good friend Edward Hitchcock for remaining silent until too late for publication to voice his unhappiness over Silliman's review of Gideon Mantell's book in Silliman's American Journal of Science, even though Silliman had made it clear he was willing to alter the review to suit Hitchcock. Silliman assures him that no one except for possibly James Deane, holds anything against him. He offers a remedy for the situation but then adds in the postscript a better one suggested by their friend James Dwight Dana, who proposed that Hitchcock write directly to Dr. Mantell, adding, "We both think that the statement should be calm, condensed & without any imputations on Dr M, Dr D or any one, but containing the facts of the claim."

Creator:
Benjamin Silliman
Date:
December 19, 1844
Courtesy of:
Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers, Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library