Scepticism
The Johnston doctrine of the bright, modest and industrious tradesman, achieving what others would only do decades later, captured the public imagination, especially in Scotland. It was also well accepted among historians, at least British ones, in the early 20th century.
Johnston did not present conclusive proofs, though he wrote that he had them. Sceptics allege that MacMillan design which he presented was a composite of the two McCall velocipedes of 1869. At the behest of Johnston Thomas McCall, aged 64, built a replica to be presented as MacMillan's at the 1896 Stanley show and now at Dumfries Museum - presumably he needed the money (Clayton 1987).
The identification of MacMillan as recipient of an early speeding ticket for his bicycling is doubted by Alastair Dodds on grounds that its application would require an early Victorian newspaper to call a blacksmith a "gentleman". However, that fails to explain what the velocipede of ingenious design was. Misgivings did not deter popular retelling with interesting details from sources unknown.
However, it is said that Gavin Dalzell of Lesmahagow copied his machine in 1846 and passed on the details to so many people that for more than 50 years he was generally regarded as the inventor of the bicycle.
Read more about this topic: Kirkpatrick Macmillan
Famous quotes containing the word scepticism:
“It has often been argued that absolute scepticism is self-contradictory; but this is a mistake: and even if it were not so, it would be no argument against the absolute sceptic, inasmuch as he does not admit that no contradictory propositions are true. Indeed, it would be impossible to move such a man, for his scepticism consists in considering every argument and never deciding upon its validity; he would, therefore, act in this way in reference to the arguments brought against him.”
—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)
“The great subverter of Pyrrhonism or the excessive principles of scepticism is action, and employment, and the occupations of common life.”
—David Hume (1711–1776)
“... scepticism ... can never be thoroughly applied, else life would come to a standstill ...”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)