Page:Harveian Oration for MDCCCXXXVIII; being a tribute of respect for the memory of the late James Hamilton, Sen. M.D (IA b30377353).pdf/4

 fame of a benefactor of his species, because, while he enlarged the boundaries of speculative truth, he established on his splendid discoveries the most important practical results. The experiments, by which he ascertained the great tact of the circulation of the blood, were conducted on the sure principles of the inductive logic, and may be regarded as one of the finest specimens of philosophical investigation. The history of the reception which his work “De Cordis et Sanguinis motu” experienced from a large proportion of his contemporaries, presents a mortifying view of the effect of prejudice and envy, even on minds which have been enlightened by liberal study. It would be irksome and unprofitable to dwell on the elaborate but abortive animadversions of Dr of Hull, and the still more frivolous work of of Venice, containing a pretended refutation of the doctrine of the Circulation. So mean was the jealousy of other contemporaries of, that, while they were conscious that they knew nothing of this doctrine till it was promulgated by him in the year 1628, they endeavoured to detract from his merit, by alleging that he had borrowed it from some ancient writers. It would be