13 OCTOBER 1832, Page 20

SHELDRAKE'S ANIMAL MECHANICS.

WE have no doubt that the SHELDRAXE who wrote this book is the real SHELDRAKE—that WILLIAM SHELDRAKE, whose only merit is his name, is a vile impostor. We moreover believe that 'T. SHELDRARE ought to have cured Lord BYRON'S foot, and that W. SHELDRAKE botched it. It is our further opinion, that T. SHELDRAKE is a very able spine-straightener; that his inventions are all his own; and that most other writers of eminence have .eabbaged their best ideas from his pages. Now, as to prove these things seems to be the main object of Mr. SHELDRAKE'S present performance, we trust that he will be satisfied with the impression he has made on our minds. He has failed, however, to convince us that the late respectable Dr. GLENNIE, with whom Lord -BYRON was at school, played booty with the base and stupid WILLIAM SHELDRAKE, and, in order to pocket a few shillings, after the vile habit of the Scotch, employed a low and ignorant man, and, sacrificed the comfort of his noble pupil for life. At the same time, we do believe that Dr. GLENNIE did appropriate to his own use the book, "value eight shillings," but to what use we are uncertain.

" When Glennie had received my book and explanatory letter, whatever might have been his previous determination, if he had possessed one particle of the -feelings of an honest man, he would have returned the book, with any answer he might have chosen to the letter, and the business would have been at an end ;

• but, with the feeling which the very vilest part of the Scotch act upon when - they can get a sixpence by so doing, he kept the book, value eight shillings, and carried on the conspiracy with his associate till the boy was removed to Harrow, and their share of the transaction was at an end."

Mr. T. SHELDRAKE is evidently a man on good terms with him- :self, and -exceedingly jealous of all the rest of the world : never- • theless, he may be a good animal-mechanic; and, as far as we can • understand his system, it is likely to be beneficial, and much to be preferred to the craning of -Dr. CHESSHYNE, and other vile and -violent contrivances.