Page:The Harveian oration 1905.djvu/11

 beloved by his contemporaries, and has been fitly styled "the greatest physician of his time," and who will ever stand out and be remembered as one of the most distinguished, learned, and high-principled members of the medical profession in this or any other age or country. The change to which I have just referred seems, with one or two exceptions, to have met with general approval and acceptance by the Harveian Orators since that time, many of whom were classical scholars of high repute, and fully competent to address such a distinguished audience as this in choicest Latin. Personally, for reasons which I need not specify, I certainly do not feel inclined to make any protest against the present practice. At the same time I take this opportunity of expressing my opinion that it would be a great mistake to do away with classical instruction as an essential part of the early training and general culture required for the medical profession, which seems to be the present tendency in certain quarters. Still less do I feel inclined to fall in with the views of those whose desire and aim is "to see the classical and historical scheme of education entirely abandoned, and its place taken by a scheme of education in the knowledge of nature." I would further take this opportunity of emphasising the essential value and importance at the present day of an adequate knowledge of modern languages, particularly French and German, in the