THE HARVEIAN ORATION. 



Mr President and Gentlemen, 



To-day we meet together in fulfilment of the express 

 wish of Harvey, our illustrious benefactor, and most distinguished 

 ornament, and it is my duty " to commemorate the benefactors of 

 the College and to encourage its members to search out the secrets 

 of nature by way of expei'iment." 



I will not apologise for endeavouring to perform this duty, 

 imposed upon me by our past President, heartily though I wish it 

 had fallen into worthier hands. As a duty I accepted the task ; 

 it is made a pleasant one by the feeling that, in commemorating 

 the achieivements of the past, I shall have the sympathy of my 

 audience; and if by pointing to the direction in which further 

 advances are possible, and suggesting routes by which these 

 advances may be made, I can stimulate and encourage any here 

 present to search out these secrets of nature, I shall feel that the 

 very deep anxiety with which I undertook to address you has not 

 been altogether fruitless. 



And what are the achievements of the past? and of the 



