40 HUNTERIAN ORATION. 



equally his duty to perform, and theirs to 

 permit, for the attainment of knowledge, the 

 most important to humanity. It is easy to 

 perceive the causes of reluctance in general 

 to such examinations. Persons question if 

 their departed relative would have approved 

 of it ; they think it disrespectful, or that 

 some unnecessary or indecent exposure of 

 the body may take place ; they suspect that 

 we perform these acts with levity, or in a 

 frame of mind discordant with their present 

 feelings. It is for us to convince them by 

 our manners and conduct, that we only 

 seek for knowledge ; and that we do so with 

 dispositions suitable to the solemnity of the 

 occasion, and in sympathy with their feel- 

 ings, and distress. 



Having thus told you, gentlemen, what 

 appears to me chiefly necessary to be done, 

 on pur part and on that of the public, for 

 the promotion of medical science, I take the 

 liberty of further observing, that to some it 

 might seem strange that persons in general 

 do not take more concern about it, when 

 it is manifestly of vital importance to them. 

 This College, sensible of the great injury 



