AND ANIMAL LIFE. 67 



facts, his reasoning is to be estimated as merely 

 ingenious and hypothetical. 



LVII. Conceiving his opinions on this sub- 

 ject to be incorrect, I shall spare no pains, in the 

 subsequent chapter, to expose errors which are 

 capable of retarding the proper cultivation of 

 medicine for centuries, as presenting to the phy- 

 siologist established points or data to direct his 

 pursuits, on which, perhaps, he may erect prin- 

 ciples not less extensive and important than the 

 present, and thereby would continue to heap er- 

 ror on error, till at last the whole system would 

 fall, from the magnitude of its inconsistencies. 

 To do justice to the subject, it is necessary to be 

 minute and patient in the investigation of its 

 merits ; and, therefore, I shall follow as closely 

 as possible the observations and experiments of 

 this talented physiologist, for whom, as an indi- 

 vidual, I entertain the highest respect. The 

 cause of animal heat will be better understood 

 by the treatment of the following chapter, as I 

 shall have an opportunity of illustrating the im- 

 portance of respiration and circulation in regard 

 to organic functions. 



E 2 



