HUNTERIAN ORATION. 5 



by completely mastering the subject he had 

 engaged with, so that none should be able 

 to do more. But now, when, by an indus- 

 trious education, any one may possess him- 

 self of the knowledge of the whole world 

 with respect to any subject^ of nature, art, 

 or science ; now, when every accession of 

 knowledge is published at annual, quar- 

 terly, or monthly periods ; every little 

 discovery is at once proclaimed, lest its 

 author should be anticipated ; and persons 

 in general become desirous of contending 

 for superiority more with one another, than 

 with the subject, or with themselves. Yet 

 this ready communication of knowledge 

 greatly tends to its increase, by exciting 

 general emulation and co-operation. 



It was at Alexandria, also, that persons of 

 the medical profession first possessed an op- 

 portunity of studying the subject-matter of 

 medical science, the structure and functions 

 of the parts of the human body. How absurd 

 should we deem the conduct of a mechanic, 

 whose business it was to rectify the errors 

 of any complex machine, should he merely 

 provide himself with the finest and fittest 



B 3 



