Page:The Hunterian oration, for the year 1819.djvu/63

Rh Lawrence's meaning or feelings can be understood by others without previous information, I must therefore mention, that from a very early period of his professional studies, he was accustomed to decry and scoff at what I taught as the opinions of Mr. Hunter respecting life and its functions. Yet as I could never find that he had any good reasons for this conduct, I continued to teach them in the midst of the controversy and derision of those students who had become his proselytes. As a teacher of young men I felt particularly anxious that they should possess just, benevolent, and honourable sentiments, and therefore was I interested in maintaining those opinions respecting life, which seem to warrant the further opinion of the distinct and independent nature of mind; whilst more particularly did I feel bound to maintain them, when the contrary assertions were unsupported by facts or arguments.