2 HUNTERIAN ORATION. 



honour those whose literary labours stand 

 pre-eminent ; or those who have exposed, 

 or sacrificed their lives in the cause of their 

 country, or in that of moral obligation ? Is 

 it not on account of their havino; evinced 

 superior powers, or firmness of mind ? 

 They have thus done honour to the whole 

 human race, and can only be repaid in the 

 same coin ; we return to them the tribute 

 of honour, in proportion as they have con- 

 ferred it on us. We indeed honour rank, 

 but then it is either in blind obedience to 

 the laws of custom, or because we associate 

 the opinion of superior intelligence and 

 elevation of mind with the possession of a 

 dignified station. * 



Now, to show what surgery really is, it 

 becomes necessary to divest it of that garb 

 with v/iiich it has been clothed and obscured 

 in times of ignorance ; and it is useful to 

 revert to the history of former times, in 

 order to observe the circumstances which 

 have promoted or retarded the progress of 

 the medical sciences, or communicated to 



* The good qualities of the mind excite and engage 

 Gur respect or esteem; 



