An enquiry into the moving powers employed in the circulation of the blood : in a lecture, delivered at Newcastle, the 28th of December, 1773 ... / by Andrew Wilson.

  • Wilson, Andrew, 1718-1792.
Date:
MDCCLXXIV [1774]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry into the moving powers employed in the circulation of the blood : in a lecture, delivered at Newcastle, the 28th of December, 1773 ... / by Andrew Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ( > mixed in itr. conflantly- exhaling into veffels, and moving progreffively in them, the diameter of whofe orifices may not be the thoufandth part of an inch, and conftantly irradiated upon by powers that can concoft or change its nature,^'character, confifiency, nay even its colour at pleafure, fo to fpeak, in a moment. So that learning in general is often not fo much profited or advanced by this mode of pbilo- fophifing, as is fuppofed or might be expected. Gbfervation, attention, and clofe extenfive rea- foning, I think not, only a fafer tra<5l, but a more promifing courfe for the advancement of knowledge. Nature furnifiies facts equivalent to all the experi¬ ments that can be made; and a clofe and accu¬ rate inquifition, by induction from her powers, and the products of them, without previous hypothecs or affumed principles, promifes fair to carry one’s views farthefh The philofophy that affumes one principle that is not an uncontrovertible fa6t, muft in the end infallibly entail upon our minds a train of lll-digefled (however plaufible) con¬ jectures; which, adopted by perfons who compre¬ hend what other people fay, but who cannot think for themfelves, or walk but in leading-firings, will form into inveterate prejudices againfi whatever they have not learned,- or whatever does not tally with what they have been taught. So that frequently, when people think they are promoting knowledge, they are a&ually railing ramparts againfi its progrefs. F I N I S.