ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 115 



per. And this remarkable precedent of one accounted the 

 father of his art, need not to be backed with examples derived 

 from other arts, as from the prudent practice of the lawyers, 

 who religiously enter down the more eminent cases and new 

 decisions, the better to prepare and direct themselves in future. 

 This discontinuation, therefore, of medicinal reports we find 

 deficient, especially in form of an entire body, digested with 

 proper care and judgment. But we do not mean, that this 

 work should extend to every common case that happens every 

 day, which were an infinite labor, and to little purpose ; nor yet 

 to exclude all but prodigies and wonders, as several have done : 

 for many things are new in their manner and circumstances, 

 which are not new in their kind ; and he who looks attentively 

 will find many particulars worthy of observation, in what seems 

 vulgar. 



So in anatomy, the general parts of the human body are dili- 

 gently observed, and even to niceness: but as to the variety 

 found in different bodies, here the diligence of physicians fails. 

 And, therefore, though simple anatomy has been fully and 

 clearly handled, yet comparative anatomy is deficient. For 

 anatomists have carefully examined into all the parts, their con- 

 sistencies, figures, and situations ; but pass over the different 

 figure and state of those parts in different persons. The reason 

 of this defect I take to be, that the former inquiry may terminate 

 upon seeing two or three bodies dissected ; but the other being 

 comparative, and casual, requires attentive and strict applica- 

 tion to many different dissections : besides, the first is a subject 

 wherein learned anatomists may show themselves to their audi- 

 ence ; but the other a rigorous knowledge, to be acquired only 

 by silent and long experience. And no doubt but the internal 

 parts, for variety and proportions, are little inferior to the ex- 

 ternal ; and that hearts, livers, and stomachs, are as different in 

 men, as foreheads, noses, and ears. And in these differences 

 of the internal parts are often found the immediate causes of 

 many dieases, which physicians not observing, sometimes un- 

 justly accuse the humors, when the fault lies only in the 

 mechanic structure of a part. And in such diseases it is in vain 

 to use alteratives, as the case admits not of being altered by 

 them, but must be affected, accommodated, or palliated by a 

 regimen, and familiar medicines. 



Again, comparative anatomy requires accurate observations 



