Page:The Works of William Harvey (part 2 of 2).djvu/92

 610 LETTERS.

where Pecquet indicates his receptacle, of such a size that it might readily have been compared to the abomasus, or read of the animal.

These observations, learned sir, have I made at this time in answer to your letter, that I might show my readiness to comply with your wishes.

Pray present my most kind wishes to Dr. Pecquet and to Dr. Gay ant. Farewell, and believe me to be, very affectionately and respectfully, Yours,

WILLIAM HARVEY. London, the 28th April, 1652.

��LETTER V.

To the most excellent and learned John Nardi, of Florence.

DISTINGUISHED AND ACCOMPLISHED SIR, The arrival of your letter lately gave me the liveliest pleasure, and the re- ceipt at the same time of your learned comments upon Lucretius satisfied me that you are not only living and well, but that you are at work among the sacred things of Apollo. I do indeed rejoice to see truly learned men everywhere illustrating the republic of letters, even in the present age, in which the crowd of foolish scribblers is scarcely less than the swarms of flies in the height of summer, and threatens with their crude and flimsy productions to stifle us as with smoke. Among other things that delighted me greatly in your book was that part where I see you ascribe plague almost to the same efficient cause as I do animal generation. Still it must be confessed that it is difficult to explain how the idea, or form, or vital principle should be transfused from the genitor to the gene- trix, and from her transmitted to the conception or ovum, and thence to the foetus, and in this produce not only an image of the genitor, or an external species, but also various peculiarities or accidents, such as disposition, vices, hereditary diseases, nsevi or mother-marks, &c. All of these accidents must inhere in the geniture and semen, and accompany that specific thing, bywhat-

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