Page:The Harveian oration - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on October 18, 1884 (IA b21778929).pdf/40

 desires to be informed. . . ." must be held bound to look for himself.... for "it is our duty to approve or disapprove, to receive or reject, everything only after the most eareful examination ... to examine, to test whether anything has been well or ill advanced, to ascertain whether some false- hood does not lurk under a proposition. it is imperative on us to bring it to the proof of such, and to admit it or reject it on the decision of such."

9. In much of his writing, Harvey was both humorous and eloquent, and he could exhibit high indignation when he dealt with his detractors, yet "to return evil speaking with evil speaking" he held "to be unworthy in a philo- sopher and a searcher after truth." The passage, however, that follows this, shows that Harvey could (as Sir Anthony Absolute did), if he were tempted to do so, use "strong language;" for he comforts Riolanus by assuring him that "it cannot be helped that dogs bark, and vomit their foul stomachs, or that eynies should be numbered among philo- sophers; but care must be taken that they do not bite or inoculate their mad humour, or with their dog's teeth gnaw the bones and foundations of truth; "40 but we must re- member that this was not said to his detractors, but only of them; said to his friend Riolanus; and, moreover, it was said in Latin, and that makes all the difference !

But with the exception of a few scattered passages of just wrath, Harvey was always dignified, lenient, and calm. He was, as his contemporary Ent said of him, "beyond all praise," and it may be justly repeated of him, when regarding the strength and gentleness of his great heart :-

"He has outsoared the shadow of our night, Envy and calumny, and hate and pain, And that unrest which men miscall delight, Can touch him not and torture not again."

39 On the Circulation, p. 131. 40 Ibid. p. 110.