Page:The Harveian oration for 1874.djvu/39

 religions has since remained (with some notable exceptions indeed) one of armed truce; and it was during the first hundred years after the commencement of this state of things that the greatest intellectual activity which has ever shown itself in the world’s history in matters not purely theological prevailed. I might add, it was during this time that the greatest intellects who in modern times ever enriched science or adorned literature arose and flourished. A century which began with Bacon and ended with Newton, which began with Shakespeare and ended with Milton (not to travel beyond the borders of our own island), forms an epoch in mental progress which none can excel, with which few can compare.

It was under the influences of this time that Harvey grew to intellectual manhood. There had, as we shall see presently, been labourers at work for nearly fifty years unconsciously breaking up the ground for him to till, fitting it for the culture of the skilled husbandman who came just at the right time to turn their otherwise barren toil to good account: