434 INTRODUCTORY LECTURES. 



in proving what nobody doubts of, and what the same gentle- 

 men, on another occasion, would urge very strongly, that theory, 

 whatever it is, may influence practice. But if the opinion we 

 spoke of has any meaning at all, it is indeed this, that there is 

 no use or propriety in the study of proximate causes, because 

 nobody employs or applies them ; and that, in the study of phy- 

 sic, we have nothing to do but to study the distinction of dis- 

 eases, and to learn the established practice. This is, indeed, 

 the opinion and the language of the common run of practition- 

 ers : they have neither the capacity nor application, nor, there- 

 fore, the erudition that is necessary to the study of a system, 

 but they can learn somewhat of the routine that is for the time 

 in fashion ; and this, they think, is learning the established 

 practice. But I maintain that the established practice has 

 been established by dogmatism, and cannot be understood or 

 applied without understanding its dogmatical foundation ; for, 

 with regard to particular cases, it is always imperfect, requiring 

 both correction and extension, neither of which can be given to 

 it, but by the most diligent study of a dogmatic system. 



Upon the whole, it appears that an empiric plan cannot at pre- 

 sent carry us any length in the practice of physic ; nor is it likely 

 to be soon fit for this purpose. We would wish, therefore, to 

 find a shorter course ; and it may perhaps be obtained by another 

 plan of analogy, or means of establishing a common nature in 

 different diseases. This may be by finding their proximate 

 causes, or that state of the body upon which the external symp- 

 toms depend ; and this is shortly the plan of the dogmatists. It 

 requires a cultivated state of anatomy and philosophy ; and 

 while these were formerly in a very imperfect condition, it is no 

 wonder that the dogmatists made many very fruitless attempts 

 towards the execution of their plan ; and not only offered many 

 frivolous conjectures, but also, in trusting to these, introduced 

 errors into the practice of physic. It is in this subject that the 

 empirics have a fund for specious declamation ; and it is upon 

 these grounds that they not only object to the futilities of the 

 theory that has been formerly offered, but they can also fairly 

 allege that the state of anatomy and philosophy are to this hour 

 so imperfect as to render a theoretical system of physic still im- 

 possible ; and that while the attempts towards it are liable to a 





