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WILLIAM HARVEY 



and escape from this labyrinth, and that I had discovered 

 what I so much desired, both the motion and the use of the 

 heart and arteries. From that time I have not hesitated to 

 expose my views upon these subjects, not only in private 

 to my friends, but also in public, in my anatomical lectures, 

 after the manner of the Academy of old. 



These views as usual, pleased some more, others less; 

 some chid and calumniated me, and laid it to me as a crime 

 that I had dared to depart from the precepts and opinions 

 of all anatomists; others desired further explanations of the 

 novelties, which they said were both worthy of considera- 

 tion, and might perchance be found of signal use. At length, 

 yielding to the requests of my friends, that all might be 

 made participators in my labors, and partly moved by the 

 envy of others, who, receiving my views with uncandid 

 minds and understanding them indifferently, have essayed to 

 traduce me publicly, I have moved to commit these things 

 to the press, in order that all may be enabled to form an 

 opinion both of me and my labours. This step I take all the 

 more willingly, seeing that Hieronymus Fabricius of Aqua- 

 pendente, although he has accurately and learnedly delineated 

 almost every one of the several parts of animals in a special 

 work, has left the heart alone untouched. Finally, if any 

 use or benefit to this department of the republic of letters 

 should accrue from my labours, it will, perhaps, be allowed 

 that I have not lived idly, and as the old man in the comedy 

 says: 



For never yet hath any one attained 



To such perfection, but that time, and place, 



And use, have brought addition to his knowledge ; 



Or made correction, or admonished him, 



That he was ignorant of much which he 



Had thought he knew ; or led him to reject 



What he had once esteemed of highest price. 



So will it, perchance, be found with reference to the heart 

 at this time ; or others, at least, starting hence, with the way 

 pointed out to them, advancing under the guidance of a 

 happier genius, may make occasion to proceed more for- 

 tunately, and to inquire more accurately. 



