Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 430 | Page 3

of its being absolutely essential to the
ascertainment of truth in any disputable case. There is so much bias
from self-love, so much recklessness about truth in general, and so
much of even a sincere faithlessness of narration, that no partial
account of anything is to be trusted. It is but a small concession to the
cause of truth, to wait till we hear the statement of the opposite party,
or not to pronounce without it. If anything were required to prove how
little this is reflected on, it would be the readiness of nearly all persons
to tell their own story, without intimating the slightest doubt that it is to

be implicitly received on their own shewing. One cannot walk along a
street, but some friend will come up and inflict a narration, limited
entirely to his own view of a case in which he is interested or aggrieved,
practically ignoring that there can and must be another way of stating it.
And so great is the complaisance of mankind, that no one thinks of
intimating any necessity for consulting another authority before giving
judgment. Here the vicious habit of thoughtless pronouncing is doubly
bad, as it involves also a kind of flattery.
There are some novel doctrines and theories, which seem doomed to
meet with prejudice and opposition, but which yet must have some
vitality about them, seeing that they survive so much ill-treatment. It is
curious to observe how little regard to the rules of reasoning is usually
felt to be necessary in opposing these theories--how mere pronouncing
comes to stand in their case in the stead of evidence and argument.
Although they may have been brought forward as mere forms of
possible truth--ideal points round which to rally the scattered forces of
investigation--and only advanced as far as facts would go, and no
further--you will find them denounced as visions, tending to the breach
of the philosophic peace; while, on the other hand, those who oppose
them, albeit on no sort of ground but a mere pronunciation of contrary
opinion, obtain all the credit due to the genuine philosopher. Abstractly,
it would be generally admitted that any doctrine for which a certain
amount of evidence is shewn, can only be overthrown by a superior
force of evidence on the other side. But practically this is of no avail.
Doubt and denial are so important to philosophy, and confer such an air
of superior wisdom, that merely to doubt and deny will be pretty sure to
carry both the educated and the uneducated vulgar. To get a high
character in that position is of course very easy. Little more than
pronouncing is required. As to the respective positions of the affirmer
and denier in some future time, when truth has attained the power of
asserting her reign against prejudice, that is another thing.
To return to the general question--If any one be impressed by our
remarks with a sense of the absurdity of pronouncing without
knowledge and reflection, let him endeavour to avoid it, and he will
confer a sensible benefit on society. When next he is in company, and a

subject occurs to tempt him into an expression of opinion, let him
pause a moment, and say to himself: 'Now, do I know anything about
it--or if I know something, do I know enough--to enable me to speak
without fear of being contradicted? Have I ever given it any serious
reflection? Am I sure that I have an opinion about it at all? Am I sure
that I entertain no prejudice on the point?' Were every one of us
children of British freedom to take these precautions, there would be
more power amongst us to pronounce wisely. There would be a more
vigorous and healthful public opinion, and the amenity, as well as
instructiveness of private society would be much increased.

COOLING THE AIR OF ROOMS IN HOT CLIMATES.
In our last number, allusion was made to a process for cooling the air of
apartments in hot climates, with a view to health and comfort. The
intolerable heat of the climate in India, during certain hours of the day,
is well known to be the cause of much bad health among European
settlers. By way of rendering the air at all endurable, the plan of
agitating it with punkahs, hung to the roofs of apartments, the punkahs
being moved by servants in attendance for the purpose, is adopted.
Another plan of communicating a sensation of coolness, is to hang wet
mats in the open windows. But by neither of these expedients is the end
in view satisfactorily gained. Both are nothing else than make-shifts.
The new process of cooling now to be described, is founded on a
scientific principle, certain and satisfactory in its operation, provided it