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23 what she communicated, he embellished with

all the powers of one of the richest and finest imaginations ever created. But John Hunter, without his brother's patronage, might never have been able to reach those positions, from which alone it was possible to gain a commanding view of what he wished to explore. Hospitals, museums, dissecting rooms, and lectures, might probably have required a much heavier purse, than what he put into his pocket on mounting his horse to ride up to London from Long Calderwood. But, whether my conjectures be right, or not, the merit of Dr. William Hunter in befriending talents and genius, though called to do so by the voice of nature, is equally conspicuous, and deserving both of praise and imitation.

John Hunter began his professional career by devoting most of his time to dissection; and after having become proficient in human anatomy, he extended his researches to the structure of animals, convinced that, without the aid of comparative anatomy, the foundation of physiology must always be weak and insecure.