Page:The Harveian oration 1905.djvu/32

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THE HARVEIAN ORATION.

now possesses, and to indicate briefly their origin, nature, and intention. It may be stated generally that their objects are to reward merit for scientific or clinical work already accomplished; to encourage medical education and training; and to stimulate investigation and research, either generally or in relation to particular subjects. While giving due honour to the donors, we must also not forget to pay tribute to those distinguished men in whose memory some of these endowments were established, all of whom, with one exception, were either Fellows or Members of this College, who in their day occupied a high position in our profession, and rendered excellent service in their several spheres and ways; while at the same time they reflected honour upon this College, and were ever ready to promote its best interests.

I. Lumleian Lectures.—These lectures were founded in 1581 by Dr. Richard Caldwell, in conjunction with Lord Lumley. They were originally established for surgery, being commonly called in the annals The Chirurgical Lecture; and the donors endowed the lectureship with a rent-charge of £40 a year on their lands and on those of their heirs for ever. The College took £100 out of their public stock to build the College rooms more ample and spacious, for the better celebration of this most solemn lecture. Harvey was the fourth holder of this lectureship, and retained it for forty-one years, as