Page:The Harveian oration - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on October 18, 1884 (IA b21778929).pdf/33

 itself in his written "work." Chronologically, his character must precede his work; but the former was developed by the latter. These things act and react; moral forces become greater as our toil grows harder; and, in so doing, give not only fresh impulse, but increased strength for work.

1. Throughout Harvey's writings there is an eminently religious tone; a devout and reverential recognition of God; not only as the great primal, ever-acting Force, behind, out- side, and before all the works of Nature; but as the Being in "the Almighty and Eternal God," to whom, as he says his last will and testament, "I doe most humbly render my soule (as to) Him that gave it; and to my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 22

But Harvey did not let his religious convictions hold him in the tight grasp of what has been termed the 'theologic stage" of development; nothing prevented him from seeing all that he could see, and frankly telling all that he believed; and so we find him spurning some of the figments about "the spirits. . . . of a sublime, lucid, ethereal, celestial, or divine nature," when they are employed to fill up gaps in the physiology of his day; and comparing those who use them to the vulgar and unlettered who when they do not comprehend the causes of various effects, refer them to the immediate interposition of the Deity." " 23

Harvey, although saying that "the Divine mind of the Eternal Creator which is impressed on all things creates the image of itself in human conceptions;" and again, that all the arts are but imitations of Nature. ... as our reason or understanding is a derivative from the Divine intelligence manifested in his works;" and still further affirming as follows-" wherefore, according to my opinion, he takes the right and pious view of the matter, who derives all generation 66

23 On the Circulation, p. 120. 2: On Conception, p. 582. 22 Will of Harvey, p. lxxxix.