Page:The Harveian oration, 1893.djvu/45

 Nature by way of experiment,” who comes fresh to the task with his faculties unexhausted by prolonged reading, and his judgment uninfluenced by the discoveries of others. This, however, is surely a delusion. Harvey could not have discovered the circulation of the blood had he not been taught all that was previously known of Anatomy. True, no progress can be made by mere assimilation of previous knowledge. There must be intelligent curiosity, an observant eye and intellectual insight;


 * “Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam;"

and few things are more deplorable than to see talent and industry occupied in fruitless researches, partially re-discovering what is already fully known, or stubbornly toiling along a road which has long ago been found to lead nowhither. We must then instruct our students to the utmost of our power. Whether they will add to knowledge we cannot tell, but at least they shall not hinder