144 TRUTH, PATHOLOGY, AND PUBLIC. 



beautiful. It is more difficult to conceive the point 

 of view of these old anatomists than to remember 

 the changes which have gradually taken place in 

 our own conceptions of accuracy ; and yet in this 

 instance we have but an example of what may be 

 often seen both in natural history and in human 

 affairs, that the development of the individual 

 repeats after a fashion the development of the race. 

 The art of accuracy had to be learned in anatomy 

 and other sciences precisely as each of us has had 

 to learn it, and as we shall continue to learn it as 

 long as we admit the paramount excellence of 

 truth. 



Nor is that which obtains with regard to accuracy 

 in scientific matters less applicable or important in 

 reference to the statements which we allow ourselves 

 to make in the ordinary conversation and business of 

 life. All truthfulness is an art, and a difficult art to 

 learn. In scientific matters the only difficulty in 

 learning this art in most cases is to discipline the 

 observation and teach it to act with rigour and free 

 from prejudice and imagination. But in the affairs 

 of life, and especially in our profession, there are 

 more serious difficulties in the practice of truthful- 

 ness than these. Emotion comes in emotion, 

 which into scientific investigation ought not to enter 

 though it too often does ; and I do not know a 



