Greenwood and Hodgson 6.9.1823

Greenwood and Hodgson 6.9.1823



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	Westmorland Gazette, 6 September 1823:-
letter from A Subscriber to Hodgson
	(ADVERTISEMENT.) TO MR. GREENWOOD, SURVEYOR. Sapius ventis agitatur ingens Pinus; et celsae graviore casu Decidunt turres; feriuntque Summos Fulmina montes. SIR, - When we consider the manner in which you have conducted yourself throughout this controversy, it will not, I think, be matter of astonishment to any one, however low you may contrive to sink yourself in the estimation of the public. Every letter you have written has added to the rapidity of your descent until you have at length fallen into that depth of humiliation from which neither your sophistry or your evasions will ever extricate you. It is not in a Christian country like this, that conduct such as yours will either pass unnoticed or without being seen in its most proper light. What are the Gentlemen of Westmorland to think of a man who vainly endeavours to keep alive the expiring embers of an un-worthy cause, by Parodying the Book of Holy Writ. Is this the way, Sir, in which you seek to recommend yourself to the people of this County? - Most strange infatuation truly! I advised you sometime ago to drop the controversy: you refused, and have continued to publish your follies, with a power of face, I may venture to say, unequalled. In your last beautiful production you tell Mr. Hodgson that he shews "a littleness of mind, and contractedness of ideas," by noticing your letters; and you have said the twelve Maps you have already published are not so correct as your forthcoming work will be; thus, Sir, you have betrayed yourself into two great truths, and have, with uncommon tenacity, laboured to establish facts of such importance. You have more than once styled yourself and company unequalled - another great truth; and, coming from the mouth of a man of such veracity, who can dispute it? When such a colossus of scientific eminence, compared to whose imaginative bulk the rest of mankind are but pigmies, when such a man asserts that he himself (who is the head of an unequalled set of Surveyors) is not worth noticing, we may fairly conclude that they are truly a most unequalled establishment!!! You will not admit that the manner of your Survey is known to any one. You probably mean to tell us that it was conducted in the dead hour of night, when "The gaudy, blabbing, and remorseful day "Had crept into the bosom of the sea." Is it at such an hour that you fix the cross-hairs of your Magical Telescope upon Towers, Obelisks, and other prominent features of a County? Upon what Tower or Obelisk were they fixed when you lost your plan of the vicinity of Kirkby-Stephen? And where were your unwieldy Diagrams when you supplied the loss of such a plan? - The manner of your Survey has been SEEN, rest assured of it, and in open daylight too. In your last letter you use the following expression:- "If Mr. Hodgson has made up his mind to persevere in his attempt to injure us." Now it is well known that the contrary is the fact. You first endeavoured to prevail upon Mr. H. to give up his undertaking in your favour; and not succeeding in it, you immediately advertised against him in pursuance of the threats you made use of to that effect. You commenced with causing a paragraph to be inserted in both the Kendal Papers, which was meant to appear as if written by the Editors, altho' it was written by yourself; and, in order to illustrate your sagacity, I cannot do better than quote it at full length, and remark upon it as I proceed. Mr. Greenwood's commencement of this controversy, published in the Kendal Chronicle and in the Westmorland Gazette, "By an Advertisement occupying a considerable space in our publication of this week, we are informed, that Messrs. Greenwood will publish their new Map of Westmorland, in the course of a few months and we are told by Mr. Greenwood himself, (who is now at the King's Arms Inn, in this town.)" Here he is making the Editors of both the Kendal Papers speak through a paragraph, of which Mr. G. himself is the author. "That their experience both in surveying, and in studied and careful selection of engravers, and other artists, during their extensive and unremitting practice for a period of nearly ten years, enables them to bring out this Map, as complete a specimen of true and genuine science as can be displayed in delineating this diversified face of the county - bold and picturesque in its features as Westmorland." Mr. Greenwood is telling us here, that, the face of the country in the neighbourhood of Kendal, is bold and picturesque in its features as Westmorland; this is evidently the first of his GREAT TRUTHS - we will all agree with him, that in its features it is as bold and picturesque as Westmorland; Mr. G. himself probably took it for a part of Yorkshire, "We cannot doubt the accuracy of this assertion, when we consider that Westmorland is the 13th County Map, which will now be completed by Messrs. Greenwood; and being FULLY ASSURED also that their expenditure in this work exceeds L10,000 per annum, as may be seen by their book of accounts!!!" So then, we see that Mr. Greenwood, in the first place, told us that they expended L10,000 per annum; but he has since said that L10,000 is the whole of their capital!!! This paragraph continues, "WE do think that nothing of the same kind WE ever heard of can be fairly brought in competition with this concern, if practice is to be considered as a requisite to perfection." This paragraph, for elegance of style, liberality of sentiment; and as a specimen of finished Yorkshire-isms, is worthy of being indelibly engraven on the forehead of its author. Pray, Mr. Greenwood, what was your motive in publishing the above paragraph? was it not to lower the Map of Mr. Hodgson in the estimation of the public? How far you have succeeded in it, the people of Westmorland have already seen. You, therefore, perceive Sir, that "The best laid schemes of mice an' men Gang aft a-gley." And now, Sir, let us trace your gentlemanly conduct a little further. Was it honourable, or was it gentlemanly in you to endeavour to get Mr. Hodgson's Subscribers, by representing that he was about to give up his undertaking to you; knowing at the same time, (as Mr. H. has satisfactorily shewn) that you had no authority whatever for circulating such report? Again, was it honourable or gentlemanly in you, Sir, publicly to accuse Mr. H. with most calumniating terms of an improper manner of obtaining Subscribers; knowing as you must have done the falsity of such accusation? And lastly, your motive for establishing an Office at Lancaster, are too palpable. Now, Sir, let me ask you, who is the man that has been seeking to do injury? --- Where will your humiliation end? You excuse yourself from answering my impertinent interrogatories, as you call them, by saying that you will not put yourself upon an equality with a man who may perhaps be "Boots or Hostler at some of the Inns." Personages of this description are continually floating in your imagination, and to you, perhaps, they may be congenial society. The lowest of that class, I am persuaded, would have found little difficulty in overthrowing your grand arguments and digestive reasonings; but not one of whom, I am convinced, would have spoken so contemptibly as you have done of the immortal Bard of Avon. In remarking upon my last letter, you use the following expression - "He falls in with the words of OLD SHAKESPEARE." So much for your literary attainments and your claim to the name of Gentleman. I will now take my leave of you for ever; and I assure you, Sir, to hear of your future amendment will always be truly gratifying to A SUBSCRIBER To Hodgson's Map of Westmorland. Also in the Kendal Chronicle 6 September 1823.
	Summary from - A Subscriber to - the Editor, replying to C Greenwood

	GRAND SCHEME	your conduct is a disgrace; you're full of bombast; I've done with you


	SURVEYING METHODS	just what do you do; what about the lost 'diagrams' of Kirkby Stephen


	ABANDONMENT OF SURVEY; RUMOURS	why did you spread rumours


	SUBSCRIBERS	why did you accuse TH of cheating


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