INFLUENCE AS A PHYSIOLOGIST. 67 



leading by the only possible road to the explication of the 

 complex operations known as functions. 



Dr, Carpenter undertook the important office of inter- 

 mediary between the rapidly accumulating masses of new 

 knowledge and the student of physiology. Sifting, condens- 

 ing, and methodically arranging the materials and embodying 

 the results in an admirably lucid style, he produced a com- 

 pendium of great excellence. And, although the greater part 

 of the work was not enriched by any observations personal to 

 the author, there was much that was original in the mode of 

 treatment of the various topics. This is particularly true of 

 the chapters on the nervous system. I conceive that in these 

 chapters, and in subsequent independent writings. Dr. Carpenter 

 contributed in no small degree to the foundation of a rational, 

 that is to say, a physiological psychology. 



While the " Principles of Human Physiology " not only 

 played a leading part in the scientific education of successive 

 generations of medical practitioners, but was widely read by the 

 public at large, the " Principles of Comparative Physiology," 

 of which the first edition was published in 1838, did still more 

 important service.* 



The book has the title, and in some respects resembles a 

 well-known treatise by the eminent French savant Duges. But 

 it is a very much better piece of work, and, to my mind, con- 

 tains by far the best general survey of the whole field of life and 

 of the broad principles of Biology which had been produced up 

 to the time of its publication. Indeed, although the fourth edition 

 is now in many respects out of date, I do not know its equal for 

 breadth of view, sobriety of speculation, and accuracy of detail. 



I should say that Dr. Carpenter most conspicuously in- 

 fluenced the course of education in medicine and the progress 

 of biological science by these two works, which have been read 

 by thousands who knew nothing of his many valuable direct 

 contributions to histology and zoology. In addition, his excel- 

 lent and very popular work on " The Microscope," opened 

 wide the gates of science to many people who might otherwise 

 never have been tempted to enter therein. 



* The editions to which Mr. Huxley's remarks especially refer are the 

 third, published in 185 1, and the fourth, 1S54. 



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