LECTURES 



O N 



PHYSIOLOGY, ZOOLOGY. 



AND THE 



LECTURE I. 



INTRODUCTORY TO THE COURSE DELIVERED IN 1817 



Reply to the Charges of Mr. Ahernethy — Modern History and 

 Progress of Comparative Anatomy. 



I CANNOT presume to address you again In the 

 character of Professor to this College, without first publicly 

 clearing myself from a charge publicly made in this theatre ; 

 — the charge of having perverted the honourable office, in- 

 trusted to me by this Court, to the very unworthy design of 

 propagating opinions detrimental to society, and of endea- 

 vouring to enforce them, for the purpose of loosening those 

 restraints on which the welfare of mankind depends.* 



* Physiological Lectures, exhibiting a General View of Mr. Hunter's 

 Physiology, and of his Researches in Comparative Anatomy ; delivered be- 

 fore the Royal College of Surgeons by J. Aberxethy, F. R.S. See par- 

 ticularly Lect. 1, 2, 6, and 7 : the passages and pages are too numerous to be 

 particularized. Had the author been content with pronouncing his attack 

 from the chair of the College, I should have been satisfied with defending 

 myself in the same place. The publication of his charge has made it neces- 

 sary for me to publish my reply. 



The apparent contradiction between the allotted subject of these Physi- 

 e'ogicnl Lectures — human anatomy ; the professed topic — IVIr. Hunter's 

 knowledge of Comparative. Anatomy ; and (heir actual contents, anatomical, 

 physioloijifal, ethical, controversial, abusive, &c. &c. is only to be recoii- 



