52 HUNTERIAN ORATION. 



yoLT that I am a very temperate man ; I 

 scarcely ever exceed three pints of ale in 

 the day, and I never touch spirits." " But, ' 

 said Mr. Hunter, " you must now^ drink 

 nothing except water." " Sir," said the 

 farmer, " that is impossible, for I cannot 

 relinquish my employment; and you know, 

 Sir, it is impossible to work without some 

 support." Mr. Hunter perceiving that his 

 patient was not likely to be readily con- 

 vinced, enquired how many acres of land 

 he cultivated, and what number of them 

 was arable? He next asked, how many 

 horses were kept upon the i'arm ? and then 

 boldly asserted, that ihey were too few 

 in number for the quantity of land. The 

 farmer maintained that thev were sufficient, 

 but was at length brought to confess, that 

 they were worked hard. Allow me then, 

 f;aid Mr. Hunter, to enquire what it is 

 that you give them to drink ? — You see, 

 gentlemen, that John Hunter, like Socrates, 

 was well aware of the advantage of that 

 mode of conducting an argument, by which 

 the disputant is made to convince himself: 

 though, I dare say, that he had never heard 

 of its being employed by that philosopher. 

 I have heard many patjents speak of Mr. 



