HISTORY OF MEDICINE. 385 



Court, which is always sufficient to render a physician of much 

 less merit than Galen, of the first fashion. In this manner 

 established, he became the physician of greatest fame and 

 highest authority at Rome. 



In forming his system of physic, as it was usual to assume a 

 leader, Galen pretended to follow Hippocrates, as perhaps still 

 the greatest name among ancient physicians ; and it is probably 

 owing to this that the name and writings of Hippocrates have 

 been transmitted to us with more fame than they otherwise 

 might have been. What he precisely borrowed from his ac- 

 knowledged master, it is not easy to ascertain, but he certainly 

 gave the whole of his system a new model, employing chiefly 

 the principles of the Aristotelian or Peripatetic philosophy. But 

 by pretending to follow the doctrines and practice of Hippo- 

 crates, he seemed to deliver the practice free from the partialities 

 of any sect. He admitted every kind of remedy to a share in it, 

 he employed those of the most efficacious kind, he studied reme- 

 dies without becoming empirical, and he admitted every improve- 

 ment which experience afforded. In all these respects he put 

 the practice of physic on the best footing possible, but, at the 

 same time, he gave a system of theory which was on a very 

 narrow basis, but too far extended and too much detailed in 

 the application. This tended to limit, rather than improve, the 

 practice. Accordingly the practice experienced little improve- 

 ment whilst the theory of Galen subsisted in the schools of 

 physic which was for 1400 years after his time. Galen was 

 fond of writing, and composed many books, scarcely leaving 

 any part of the medical system untouched; and it is pre- 

 sumed, that he gave a much more extensive, complete, and 

 consistent system than had appeared before his time. This 

 was sufficient to procure for him many readers and many fol- 

 lowers. His writings gave lustre to the high rank he held in 

 the profession, and that high rank must also have contributed 

 to give authority to his doctrines. It is no wonder, therefore, 

 that his system should have generally prevailed, and he en- 

 deavoured to support it by every means. In his writings, and 

 probably in his conversation, he vilified and railed at all the 

 ether sects ; and, by the authority which he assumed, and 

 which his rank and reputation supported, he was probably the 



