xlvi THE LIFE OF HARVEY. 



ance as the vindicator of the circulation from the misrepresen- 

 tations and misapprehensions of its adversaries. This was Dr. 

 afterwards Sir George Ent, a good scholar, a respectable ana- 

 tomist, conversant with physical science generally, a gentleman 

 by his position and profession, acquainted with all the leading 

 men of letters and science of his time, and in particular, 

 enjoying the friendship of William Harvey. Ent's work is 

 entitled ' An Apology for the Circulation of the Blood, with a 

 Reply to ^Emylius Parisanus.' 1 In his letter to Harvey, which 

 stands in front of the work, Ent lets it appear that he was anxious 

 to come before the world as the advocate of the circulation ; 

 he first thought of making Primerose the particular object of his 

 animadversions, but as this opponent had already been very 

 effectually handled by Henry Leroy, he preferred taking Pari- 

 sanus to task, the rather as in dealing with him he could also 

 controvert Primerose where it was necessary. Ent's Apology 

 is, undoubtedly, a learned, though perhaps a somewhat pompous 

 and pedantic book ; still the writer occasionally shows both 

 wit and fancy in handling his antagonist, and always learning 

 enough in dealing with his subject. " Nothing, indeed," to quote 

 Dr. Lawrence, 2 " can be more unlike than Parisanus and Ent ; 

 and it is not wonderful, therefore, that one utterly ignorant 

 of physical science confronted by one thoroughly conversant 

 therein that one, without power of utterance, opposed by one 

 gifted with eloquence that one, sluggish and inert, in the 

 hands of one active and full of energy, should be effectually van- 

 quished and overcome." We may imagine, nay, we may be 

 certain, that Harvey was not unacquainted with Ent's purpose 

 to appear as the advocate of his discovery, nor with the Apology 

 before it saw the light. 



Having observed the appearance of certain academical dis- 



1 Apologia pro Circuitione Sanguinis, qua respondetur jEmylio Parisano, 8vo, 

 Lond. 1641. 



2 Harvei vita, ad cap. Operuin, London, 1766. 



