5G ON THE STUDY OF ZOOLOGY 



a La Place to improve these means, and to employ them 

 SO as to unfold the structure of the universe, and expound 

 the laws which govern the motions of the heavenly bodies. 



The Collection of this College was formed, and is now 

 arranged, in conformity to the views just alluded to. The 

 anatomical preparations exhibit the organs in the manner 

 best calculated to elucidate their functions. To the rich and 

 valuable series of healthy parts, there is added a parallel 

 and equally extensive arrangement of morbid specimens. 



Mr. Hunter was the first in this country who investi- 

 gated disease in a strictly philosophic method 3 bringing to 

 bear on it the clear and steady lights of anatomy and phy- 

 siology. He began by discarding all the doctrines of the 

 schools, and resorted at once to nature. Instead of creep- 

 ing timidly along the coast of truth, within sight of prece- 

 dent and authority, he boldly launched into the great ocean 

 of discovery, steering by the polar star of observation, and 

 trusting to the guidance of his own genius. His claim to 

 the gratitude of English surgeons will be sufficiently esta- 

 blished, by comparing surgical science before his time with 

 its present state ; and by contrasting, at the two periods, 

 the relative rank of surgeons in public estimation. It 

 vi^ould be foreign to my present purpose to pursue this 

 topic : I shall therefore merely entreat you to bear it in 

 mind : and to remember, that the true dignity of the pro- 

 fession, in which every individual member is a sharer, will 

 be best promoted, not by partial privileges and arbitrary 

 exclusions, not by any thing which royal charters or legal 

 enactments can bestow or withhold, but by that scientific 

 cultivation and honourable practice which constitute the 

 only just claim to public esteem and confidence. It would 

 be unnecessary for me to enter into further detail on a 

 matter which has been already brought before you, with 

 such forcible appeal to the best feelings of our nature, such 

 display of elevated and honourable sentiments, and such 

 felicity of expression, by my ingenious, eloquent, and 

 v/orthy colleague *. 



* Ant. Carlisle, lisQ. 



