THE HUNTERIAN ORATION. 31
outpourings of his heart, he exclaims, “ Fifty years have almost elapsed since I was the disciple of the immortal Boerhaave ; but his image is continually present to my mind. I have always before my eyes the venerable simplicity of that great man, who possessed, in an eminent degree, the talent of persuading. How many times hath he said, when speaking of the precepts of our Saviour—that this divine teacher knew mankind better than Socrates.” —In honour to the memory of the individual, as a reply moreover to the suspicion sometimes entertained, that the occupations of our profession tend to the weakening of some of the best feelings of our nature, I tell the tale which the yenerable Morgagni has recorded of himself, * that having attended the fatal illness of a Nobleman, for whom he had a great personal regard, and whose body he was desirous should be examined, he says, “I sent a pupil of mine who was well practised in dissection, for I could not bear to be present myself.” Truly indeed,
« Great men have been among us; hands that penned And tongues that uttered wisdom, better none.”+
With ourselves, activity of observation and experiment is the chief business of life. But there are events of recent occurrence which may induce us to think that in the works of the ancients are contained
- De Sedibus et Causis Morborum.
+ Wordsworth. �
