354 ON THE PEOGEESS OF ANATOMY. 



it to perfection ; and Monro must have learned from Albums 

 its application to the investigation of the exact course of the 

 human blood-vessels. 



I would willingly, gentlemen, had we time, enlarge on 

 this part of my subject ; I shall feel, however, that I have 

 said enough if I have interested you in the memory of a 

 former member of this University — a man, the truth, the 

 simplicity, and earnestness of whose character are so much to 

 be admired, 'and who contributed so largely to the advance of 

 our science and profession. For I cannot conceive how any 

 one can follow any pursuit who does not admire and strive 

 to imitate those who have formerly excelled in it. 



I About the middle of the last century, we enter upon a 

 period which may be said to terminate shortly after the be- 

 ginning of the present. During this period descriptive ana- 

 tomy continued to be prosecuted, but, with the exception of 

 the treatise of Sabatier, no great systematic work was pro- 

 duced ; the attention which continued to be devoted to it 

 rather evinced itself by the number and value of engraved 

 illustrations. To this class belong the Icones Anatomicce of 

 Haller — that universal genius, at once poet, botanist, anatomist, 

 physiologist, and physician. The plates of Haller, from the 

 truth and nature which they exhibit, so different from the 

 artificial stiffness of those of Albinus, or of any former 

 illustrator, with the exception of those of our own Cowper and 

 Cheselden, are equalled only by the enormous learning which 

 he brought to bear upon the subject. Amongst a number of 

 other works of the same kind, I need only mention those of 

 Vicq d'Azyr, Sandifort, and Caldaui. This continued prose- 

 cution of descriptive anatomy was not, however, the charac- 

 teristic feature of this period. This second epoch was 

 characterised by the rise and systematic establishment of 

 human physiology, that department of our science which is 

 devoted to the force existing in the living healthy body, in 



