Page:The Harveian oration - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, October 18th 1887 (IA b30475958).pdf/22

 art of medicine, because at the end of our educational chain there hangs suspended a human life. There can be no hesitation in calling this pregnant collection of maxims a treatise on the art of imparting knowledge, an art too much neglected even in the present age. For, sooth to say, Englishmen fall, I fear, somewhat behind their French and German rivals in the practice of this important function. Even their speech and articulation are often inferior, as anyone who has listened to Trousseau, Claude Bernard, or Virchow must be well aware. “Brefly and playnly, yett not letting pas any one thing vnspoken of which is subject to the vew,” says our thoughtful monitor. Then again, ‘Not to dispute alias quam argumentis,” a quiet sarcasm on obtrusive controversialism which may go home to many a pulpit beyond this from which I have the honour to address you

We are now in a position to gather in the fruit of our author’s teaching; and first as to the utility of lecturing. We have it in his quaint language that it is justly a combination of what a book can give; namely, knowledge; with what