THE GREAT MUSEUMS OF BRITAIN. 71 



young. At the age of seventeen, he visited Glasgow, in 

 order to assist his brother-in-law, who was a cabinet- 

 maker, and had become embarrassed. It is said and 

 the statement, if true, is by no means to his discredit 

 that for a time he actually worked at his brother-in-law's 

 trade; but this has been denied. Eventually, John 

 Hunter returned home, and having no employment there, 

 he determined in 1748 to visit his brother William, who 

 had already obtained a great reputation as a lecturer on 

 anatomy in London, and as to whom a few words may 

 be said here by way of digression. 



But for the fact that he has been overshadowed to 

 some degree by the great reputation of his brother 

 John, Dr William Hunter would have bulked more 

 largely in the eyes of posterity than he actually does. 

 He was one of the first anatomists, and admittedly the 

 best anatomical teacher of his day, and was at the same 

 time an eminent and successful physician. He made 

 many important discoveries, most of which are recorded 

 in his ' Medical Commentaries,' and he unfortunately 

 became involved in several warm controversies as to the 

 precise share of credit which he ought to receive for 

 these. This he himself endeavours to excuse upon the 

 ground that ' anatomists have ever been engaged in con- 

 tention,' and also upon the ground that unless a man 

 resist all 'encroachments upon his discoveries and his 

 reputation, he will hardly ever become considerable in 

 anatomy, or in any other branch of natural knowledge.' 

 It is greatly to be regretted, however, that amongst those 

 with whom he had passages of arms relative to priority 

 of discovery, should have been included his brother John, 



