Page:The Harveian Oration1876.djvu/27

 title of his book was complete, “De Motu Cordis et Sanguinis,” and it was published in 1628, though since 1616 he had yearly demonstrated its truth before this College. Everybody, in reading Harvey’s works, notices the extreme modesty with which he announces his discovery. The simplicity and the entire absence of self-applause are most remarkable. The clearness of the style, the careful avoidance of ambiguity of expression and its brevity, make it indeed a model for all time of a philosophical treatise.

The other work of Harvey’s which in part remains to us is the treatise on Generation. Harvey was evidently led, probably by the teaching of Aristotle and of Fabricius, to watch the development of the embryo in the fowl’s egg. Probably he may have thought by watching the punctum saliens he would gain some insight into the problem which so long occupied him. But very soon he must have pursued the subject of generation for its own sake, for it formed the study of all the latter part of his life.