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examined the course of the blood in many of the lower animalswatched
the pulsation of the heart in shrimps； and animals of that kindhe
never could put the final coping…stone on his edifice。 He did not know
to the day of his death； although quite clear about the fact that the
arteries and the veins do communicate； how it is that they
communicatehow it was that the blood of the arteries passed into the
veins。 One is grieved to think that the grand old man should have gone
down to his tomb without the vast satisfaction it would have given to
him to see what the Italian naturalist Malpighi showed only seven years
later； in 1664； when he demonstrated； in a living frog； the actual
passage of the blood from the ultimate ramifications of the arteries
into the veins。 But that absolute ocular demonstration of the truth of
the views he had maintained throughout his life it was not granted to
Harvey to see。 What he did experience was this： that on the
publication of his doctrines； they were met with the greatest possible
opposition； and I have no doubt savage things were uttered in those old
controversies； and that a great many people said that these new…fangled
doctrines； reducing living processes to mere mechanism； would sap the
foundations of religion and morality。 I do not know for certain that
they did； but they said things very like it。 The first point was to
show that Harvey's views were absolutely untrue； and not being able to
succeed in that； opponents said they were not new； and not being able
to succeed in that； that they didn't matter。 That is the usual course
with all new discoveries。 But Harvey troubled himself very little
about these things。 He remained perfectly quiet； for although reputed
a hot…tempered man； he never would have anything to do with controversy
if he could help it； and he only replied to one of his antagonists
after twenty years' interval； and then in the most charming spirit of
candour and moderation。 But he had the great satisfaction of living to
see his doctrine accepted upon all sides。 At the time of his death；
there was not an anatomical school in Europe in which the doctrine of
the circulation of the blood was not taught in the way in which Harvey
had laid it down。 In that respect he had a happiness which is granted
to very few men。
I have said that the other great investigation of Harvey is not one
which can be dealt with to a general audience。 It is very complex； and
therefore I must ask you to take my word for it that； although not so
fortunate an investigation； not so entirely accordant with later results
as the doctrine of the circulation； yet that still； this little
treatise of Harvey's has in many directions exerted an influence hardly
less remarkable than that exerted by the Essay upon the Circulation of
the Blood。
And now let me ask your attention to two or three closing remarks。
If you look back upon that period of about 100 years which commences
with Harvey's birthI mean from the year 1578 to 1680 or
thereaboutsI think you will agree with me； that it constitutes one of
the most remarkable epochs in the whole of that thousand years which we
may roughly reckon as constituting the history of Britain。 In the
commencement of that period； we may see； if not the setting； at any
rate the declension of that system of personal rule which had existed
under previous sovereigns； and which； after a brief and spasmodic
revival in the time of George the Third； has now sunk； let us hope；
into the limbo of forgotten things。 The latter part of that 100 years
saw the dawn of that system of free government which has grown and
flourished； and which； if the men of the present day be the worthy
descendants of Eliott and Pym； and Hampden and Milton； will go on
growing as long as this realm lasts。 Within that time； one of the
strangest phenomena which I think I may say any nation has ever
manifested arose to its height and fellI mean that strange and
altogether marvellous phenomenon； English Puritanism。 Within that
time； England had to show statesmen like Burleigh； Strafford； and
CromwellI mean men who were real statesmen； and not intriguers；
seeking to make a reputation at the expense of the nation。 In the
course of that time； the nation had begun to throw off those swarms of
hardy colonists which； to the benefit of the worldand as I fancy； in
the long run； to the benefit of England herselfhave now become the
United States of America； and； during the same epoch； the first
foundations were laid of that Indian Empire which； it may be； future
generations will not look upon as so happy a product of English
enterprise and ingenuity。 In that time we had poets such as Spenser；
Shakespere； and Milton； we had a great philosopher； in Hobbes； and we
had a clever talker about philosophy； in Bacon。 In the beginning of
the period； Harvey revolutionized the biological sciences； and at the
end of it； Newton was preparing the revolution of the physical sciences。
I know not any period of our historyI doubt if there be any period of
the history of any nationwhich has precisely such a record as this to
show for a hundred years。 But I do not recall these facts to your
recollection for a mere vainglorious purpose。 I myself am of opinion
that the memory of the great men of a nation is one of its most precious
possessionsnot because we have any right to plume ourselves upon
their having existed as a matter of national vanity； but because we
have a just and rational ground of expectation that the race which has
brought forth such products as these may； in good time and under
fortunate circumstances； produce the like again。 I am one of those
people who do not believe in the natural decay of nations。 I believe；
to speak frankly； though perhaps not quite so politely as I could
wishbut I am getting near the end of my lecturethat the whole
theory is a speculation invented by cowards to excuse knaves。 My
belief is； that so far as this old English stock is concerned it has in
it as much sap and vitality and power as it had two centuries ago； and
that； with due pruning of rotten branches； and due hoeing up of weeds；
which will grow about the roots； the like products will be yielded
again。 The 〃weeds〃 to which I refer are mainly three： the first of
them is dishonesty； the second is sentimentality； and the third is
luxury。 If William Harvey had been a dishonest manI mean in the high
sense of the worda man who failed in the ideal of honestyhe would
have believed what it was easiest to believethat which he received on
the authority of his predecessors。 He would not have felt that his
highest duty was to know of his own knowledge that that which he said
he believed was true； and we should never have had those
investigations； pursued through good report and evil report； which ended
in discoveries so fraught with magnificent results for science and for
man。 If Harvey had been a sentimentalistby which I mean a person of
false pity； a person who has not imagination enough to see that great；
distant evils may be much worse than those which we can picture to
ourselves； because they happen to be immediate and near （for that； I
take it； is the essence of sentimentalism）if Harvey had been a person
of that kind； he； being one of the kindest men living； would never have
pursued those researches which； as he tells us over and over again； he
was obliged to pursue in order to the ascertainment of those facts which
have turned out to be of such inestimable value to the human race； and
I say； if on such grounds he had failed to do so； he would have failed
in his duty to the human race。 The third point is that Harvey was
devoid of care either for wealth； or for riches； or for ambition。 The
man found a higher ideal than any of these things in the pursuit of
truth and the benefit of his fellow…men。 If we all go and do likewise；
I think there is no fear for the decadence of England。 I think that our
children and our successors will find themselves in a commonwealth；
different it may be from that for which Eliott； and Pym； and Hampden
struggled； but one which will be identical in the substance of its
aimsgreat； worthy； and well to live in。
End