Mermaid exhibited in London in 1822 denounced

From the Hereford Journal, 4th December 1822.

THE MERMAID.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HEREFORD JOURNAL.
SIR--

On my arrival in London, I hastened to see the so-called Mermaid. My mind had been made up on the subject, but I was determined to have ocular proof of the conclusions I had formed. This compound organic form is the very personification of ugliness. The capitol, that of an Ape, (the long armed Baboon,) exhibits in its cerebral developments, the full measure of animal propensities, while its frontispiece is singularly void of the organs of intelligence.

The first thing which struck one was the utter incongruity of the piece. --The fish part should have been at least quadruple the size it is, for such a superstructure. -- It is therefore the "Discordia rerum non bene junctarum." Fairburn has published a print of this non descript by Cruikshank -- it possesses however this important fault, the fish part is here in some conformity with the superimposed mass - a condition totally overlooked in the thing itself.

The history of the Brute is not very credible. It was found cast on shore on the north of China, after a storm, by some Malay fishermen, and was purchased by its present possessor for £1,200 at Batavia. The exhibitant told me, he conceived that were it artificial, the artist would have endeavoured to make the thing more sightly.

Now it occurs to me that it is perfectly of a piece with the conduct and character of the inmates of China. They are exceedingly fond of monstrous shapes. The Baboon seems to have been purposely put to a 
violent and cruel death in order to obtain this hideous caricature.  [some mad ranting]

It appears to me most strange that Dr. Phillip should have so committed himself with respect to this incongruous compound, and equally so that Dr. Reece Price should have sanctioned the belief of its being  a natural producion, by his opinion. it has been even said that Sir Everard Home conceded as much; but I cannot believe it, Sir E. is much more cautious than this amounts to.

That the fabric is neatly put together, must be freely admitted; but I am confident that I can trace the curved lines of its junction in a great part of its circumference; and this with the naked eye, for a lens is of little use (though also employed), seeing the hideous form is encased in glass; nay more, I egregiously deceive myself, if I did not perceive two or three of the stitches by whic it has been sewed together.

The continuation of the vertebral joints under the membrane of the simia is sufficiently ingenious, and may startle, prima facie; but the cutis seems to have been merely thrown back for the introduction beneath it of the vertebra of the fish part. [some more exuberant ranting follows]

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most humble Servant,
J MURRAY
Hereford, November 30, 1822.

The 1822 sensation