Motion of the Heart and Blood 23 



expose my views upon these subjects, not only in private 

 to my friends, but also in public, in my anatomical 

 lectures, after the manner of the Academy of old. 



These views, as usual, pleased some more, others 

 less ; some chid and calumniated me, and laid it to me as 

 a crime that I had dared to depart from the precepts 

 and opinion of all anatomists ; others desired further 

 explanations of the novelties, which they said were both 

 worthy of consideration, and might perchance be found 

 of signal use. At length, yielding to the requests of 

 my friends, that all might be made participators in my 

 labours, and partly moved by the envy of others, who 

 receiving my views with uncandid minds and under- 

 standing them indifferently, have essayed to traduce me 

 publicly, I have been moved to commit these things to 

 the press, in order that all may be enabled to form an 

 opinion both of me and my labours. This step I take 

 all the more willingly, seeing that Hieronymus Fabricius 

 of Aquapendente, although he has accurately and 

 learnedly delineated almost every one of the several 

 parts of animals in a special work, has left the heart 

 alone untouched. Finally, if any use or benefit to this 

 department of the republic of letters should accrue from 

 my labours, it will, perhaps, be allowed that I have not 

 lived idly, and, as the old man in the comedy says : 



For never yet has any one attained 



To such perfection, but that time, and place, 



And use, have brought addition to his knowledge ; 



Or made correction, or admonished him, 



That he was ignorant of much which he 



Had thought he knew ; or led him to reject 



What he had once esteemed of highest price. 



So will it, perchance, be found with reference to the 

 heart at this time ; or others, at least, starting from 

 hence, the way pointed out to them, advancing under 

 the guidance of a happier genius, may make occasion 

 to proceed more fortunately, and to inquire more 

 accurately. 



