xlviii INTRODUCTION. 



repaying Hewson's confidence, and affording an honorable 

 example of integrity, which, in matters of science, has sometimes 

 been disregarded with less temptation of gain and impunity, 

 though with a sacrifice of that higher feeling which must have 

 warmed the breast of Mr. Falconar. 



Had these two ingenious men lived to continue the inquiry 

 which they had so successfully begun, it is not improbable that 

 the important results obtained by Schwann would long since 

 have been anticipated in this country; for, as I have elsewhere 1 

 remarked, the researches of the German physiologist show that 

 what Hewson propounded of the blood-corpuscles particularly 

 is applicable to the tissues generally, and that the cell-nucleus 

 of the present day is but another term for the central particle 

 of Hewson. 



Hewson's style has generally the merit of precision and 

 clearness, so essential to scientific narrative. From his matter 

 he never wanders into the airy regions of mere speculation ; 

 although he had sometimes the fault, not uncommon in young 

 and ardent minds, of pushing his conclusions beyond their just 

 limits. But, even then, his reasoning is seldom wrong accord- 

 ing to the facts upon which it is founded; and the means 

 of observation and the state of knowledge at the time were 

 scarcely sufficient to extend his premises. 



Upon the whole, Hewson was a great benefactor to science; 

 and if his works are not weighty and comprehensive enough to 

 place him in the first class of physiologists, he is certainly 

 entitled to the most exalted rank in the second, and to a high 

 station among the eminent British Worthies. 



1 Appendix to the English edition of Gerber's Anatomy, p. 100, 8vo, London, 1842 ; 

 and Note to Dr. Willis's translation of Wagner's Physiology, p. 250. 



