Page:The Hunterian oration, for the year 1819.djvu/52

 produce the good resulting from mild remonstrance and explanation. Yet for this occasional want of temper many, and perfectly exculpatory causes may be stated.

Mr. Hunter’s life was one of continual exertion, perplexity, and irritation. He was constantly engaged in the search and consideration of new facts. “My mind,” said he to me, "is like a bee-hive and the simile struck me, on account of its correctness. For, in the midst of buz and apparent confusion, there was great order; regularity of structure; and abundant food, collected with incessant industry, from the choicest stores of nature.

It will be generally admitted, that the want of money would be an adequate cause of perplexity. Yet to Mr. Hunter, the very means by which the necessary supplies were to be procured proved sources of irritation. The search for money led him from the more congenial pursuit of knowledge. It broke into his arrangements; distracted his attention;