Page:The Harveian oration (electronic resource) - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, October 18th, 1886 (IA b2041190x).pdf/33

 29 classic straits of Euripus. Truly, indeed, may it be asserted that our ancestors stand in the twofold position of our parents with respect to age, our children with respect to knowledge.

It was not without opposition that Harvey's views were received; and the high position in his profession he had attained did not suffice to pre- vent his escape from the effect of the prejudice against innovation entertained by the multitude. Aubrey tells us he had "heard him say that after his book on the circulation of the blood came out he fell mightily in his practice; 'twas believed by the vulgar that he was crack-brained, and all the physitians were against him." Harvey lived, how- ever, to see his doctrine generally accepted. But, such are the vicissitudes of time, that in our day an attempt has been made to deprive him of the title of discoverer of the circulation and give it to an Italian physician, pino, because it has been found that a few words of what he wrote can be construed into suggesting that a conception of the circulation existed in his mind. Most ably and successfully have my predecessors in the delivery