AUTHOR'S PREFACE, xi 



improvements will always bear a very small proportion to the number of 

 innovations. I do not, however, mean to assert, that the catalogue is by 

 any means complete, even with regard to older works, but I believe that 

 the references which it contains, are at least sufficient to lead those who 

 may consult the passages quoted, to the works of every author of eminence 

 that has treated of the respective subjects. Nor do I profess to have 

 excluded all references that are of little importance ; but I trust that the 

 number which I have admitted will be found inconsiderable ; and it would 

 have been very difficult to have rejected any of them, without some 

 chance of omitting others of greater value. 



Whatever the deficiencies of this work may be, I think it right to ob- 

 serve, that my present pursuits will not allow me to look forwards to any 

 period, at which I shall be able to remove them, or even to attend to the 

 correction of the press, or the revision of the engravings, in case of the 

 necessity of a second edition. 



I have already begun to collect materials for a work, in a form nearly 

 similar, relating to every department of medical knowledge : this work 

 will not, however, be speedily ready for publication ; it will be compara- 

 tively more concise than these lectures, in proportion to what has been said 

 and written respecting physic, but, I hope, much more complete, with 

 regard to all that is known with certainty, and can be applied with 

 utility. 



WELBECK-STREET, 30th March, 1807. 



