Page:The Hunterian oration, for the year 1819.djvu/46

42 produced by the man whose natal day we are now met to commemorate. It is indeed a surprising example of the scarcely to be expected improvement which may be effected by the industry of an individual when exerted in a right direction, and aided by that intelligence which reviews accumulated facts, compares, discriminates, combines, and arranges them; whilst it also draws cautious inferences from them, and suggests new subjects of enquiry, and new modes of research.

Of the genius, reflection, talents, and industry of John Hunter I have already spoken; but to commemorate him on the present occasion, I will tell you what I observed relative to the peculiar and distinguishing characters of his mind. Surely the lineaments of the mind must be more interesting than the form and features of the body. It is the character and conduct of the former which chiefly excite our interest respecting the latter; and if any one were desirous of knowing what manner of man Mr. Hunter was, I could not wish to refer them to a better resemblance