LETTERS. 615 



to the kidneys. Nor can this juice be spoken of as preter- 

 natural ; neither ought it to be compared to the vagitus 

 uterinus, seeing that in pregnant women the fluid is always 

 present, the vagitus an incident of very rare occurrence. What 

 you say of the excrements of new-born infants differing from 

 those of the child that has once tasted milk I do not admit ; 

 for, except in the particular of colour, I scarcely perceive any 

 difference between them, and conceive that the black hue may 

 fairly be ascribed to the long stay of the faeces in the bowels. 



Your proposal that I should attempt a solution of the true 

 use of these newly-discovered ducts, is an undertaking of 

 greater difficulty than comports with the old man far advanced 

 in years, and occupied with other cares : nor can such a task 

 be well entrusted to several hands, were even such assistance 

 as you indicate at my command / but it is not ; Highmore 

 does not live in our neighbourhood, and I have not seen him 

 for a period of some seven years. So much I write at present, 

 most learned sir, trusting it will be taken in good part as 

 coming from yours, 



Very sincerely and respectfully, 



WILLIAM HARVEY. 



Loudon, 13th July 1655 (old style). 



LETTER VIII. 



To the very learned John Nardi, of Florence, a man distinguished 

 alike for his virtues, life, and erudition. 



MOST EXCELLENT SIR, I lately received your most agree- 

 able letter, from which I am equally delighted to learn that 

 you are well, that you go on prosperously, and labour 

 strenuously in our chosen studies. But I am not in- 

 formed whether my letter in reply to yours, along with a few 



1 [Horst, in the letter to which the above is an answer, had said, " Nobilissime 

 Ilarveie, &c. Most noble Harvey, I only wish you could snatch the leisure to ex- 

 plain to the world the true use of these lymphatic and thoracic ducts. You have 

 many illustrious scholars, particularly Highmore, with whose assistance it were each 

 to solve all doubts." ED.] 



