THE HAEYEIAN OEATION, 1894. 



(Delivered before the Eojal Colloge of Pliysiciaus on October 18, 189i.) 



Mr. President, Fellows, and Gentlemen, 



This annual meeting in memory of Harvey is usually associated 

 with feelings of pleasure and happiness, for it was intended by 

 its immortal founder to commemorate the benefactors of the 

 College and to encourage good fellowship amongst us. 



Such commemoration of those who have benefited the College 

 in the past, although it necessarily recalls many who have 

 passed away, is, notwithstanding, on ordinary occasions pleasant 

 instead of painful, because the feeling of loss through their 

 death is completely overpowered by the recollection of the good 

 they have done in their lifetime. To-day the case is very diffe- 

 rent, for the first thought that must needs occur to every one 

 present here is that on this occasion last year our late President 

 showed for the first time what seemed to be imperfect fulfilment 

 of his duty to the College by being late in his attendance at the 

 meeting. Perhaps nothing else could have shown more clearly 

 his deep concern for the welfare of the College, and his thorough 

 devotion of every faculty of mind and body to its interests, than 

 the fact that no duty, no pleasure, and no press of occupation 

 could tempt him to leave one iota of his work in the College 

 undone. The only thing that did keep him back was the hand 

 of Death, which, althouqh at the last meetincj he and we knew 

 it not, was already laid upon him. Though his death was less 

 happy than that of the great Harvey, inasmuch a3 he lingered 

 on for days instead of hours after he was first struck down, yet 

 their deaths were alike in this respect that, up to the time of 

 the fatal attack, each was in the full possession of his facul- 

 ties, each was in the enjoyment of his life. Like Eadcliffe and 

 Mead, like Halford and Baillie, and like many other dis- 



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