OX THE PROGRESS OF ANATOMY. 351 



epochs of rapid development, and of comparative repose. 

 Each successive period of advance differs both from the one 

 which precedes and the one which follows. It invariably 

 produces one or more men, who, although apparently the 

 active agents in bringing about the development of the period, 

 are in fact only the mouthpieces of the many who feel but 

 cannot express, who almost lay hold of the idea, but cannot 

 fashion it into a tangible form. Thus it is that almost every 

 great discovery has been claimed by more than one indi- 

 vidual ; Harvey, Newton, and Charles Bell were not allowed 

 to enjoy their reputations in quietness ; and the astronomers 

 of more than one country have been lately disputing for their 

 share in the discovery of a new planet. Each successive 

 epoch, differing in some essential particulars, becomes there- 

 fore a period of repose when considered in relation to its 

 predecessor. The interests of the last age, although no longer 

 presenting the same freshness and excitement which they did 

 to our fathers, do yet settle down with us into steady acknow- 

 ledged principles of action usefully curtailed of their exuber- 

 ances ; only to be the better fitted to support and protect the 

 more recent ideas of our own age. Thus do we find at any one 

 time two sets of men — those of the old and those of the new 

 school — pitted too often, I am sorry to say, by most natural 

 prejudices, against one another, always viewing the same sub- 

 ject from opposite points, and therefore declaring stoutly the 

 error of their opponents without perceiving their own ; never 

 seeing that the opinions of the one side are only the com- 

 plement of the opinions of the other, and that the truth 

 must be in a certain middle course, the resultant of twc 

 apparently opposing forces. Tims it is, gentlemen, that all 

 advance is accompanied by opposition, every society presents 

 two parties, progress is apparently the result of antagonism ; 

 from which at least we may learn this useful lesson — to listen 

 charitably to those who arc opposed to us in opinion, and 

 VOL. I. 2 V 



