Page:The Hunterian oration, for the year 1819.djvu/32

28 Although I have not now to speak of Mr. Hunter’s physiological opinions, yet it seems proper to observe on the present occasion, that he was not satisfied with those of Haller, which he had heard delivered in his brother’s lectures; and therefore he examined every subject for himself. He seems also to have wrought like an ancient student, not striving for victory with others, but contending with the subject, and with himself. In the whole of his labours and reasonings, we may perceive a most diligent search for every fact belonging to the subject he was investigating, to form the basis on which he reasons; the most anxious solicitude to describe facts with accuracy, and to avoid the least misrepresentation of them; and in his reasonings, I can perceive no inference deduced from insufficient or irrelevant premises. It is this mode of proceeding only, as I have formerly observed, which can give value and currency to the opinions of any one. Mr. Hunter was convinced that life was not the result of organization; and though many may have conjectured life to be something not dependent on structure,