Cursory observations upon the 'Lectures on physiology, zoology, and the natural history of man, delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons / by W. Lawrence ; 'in a series of letters addressed to that gentleman; with a concluding letter to his pupils, by one of the people called Christians'].

  • Grinfield, Edward William, 1785-1864.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cursory observations upon the 'Lectures on physiology, zoology, and the natural history of man, delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons / by W. Lawrence ; 'in a series of letters addressed to that gentleman; with a concluding letter to his pupils, by one of the people called Christians']. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    facts or physiological observations, I should have felt myself totally incapable of estimating the value of your Lectures. But, since you have travelled into the regions of History and morals, have denounced the abstractions of metaphysics, and ridiculed the records of revelation, I feel myself at liberty to offer you my opinions oh' these subjects,' and I shall do it with the greater freedom, because I am satisfied that your time and attention must have been chiefly devoted to other inquiries. In your reply to the'charges of Mr. Abernethy, you have facetiously alluded to' the currier who proposed a fortification of lea- ther in a council of war. rfear,*Sir, that many of your readers will be disposed to turn this al- lusion against yourself. In your ardor for phy- siological studies, you have contrived to destroy the value of almost every other science.. lu your hands, ancient history is but a maze of ob- scurity,* and modern history but a, perversion of government.j- Christianity is chiefly of va- lue as the stepmother of quakerism ^ j and the whole science of 'mind is represented a Utopian research. Indeed, Sir,'as we are not all intended for surgeons and physicians, you should have shewn some little regard for those who may be- come your patients, as well as your pupils. As it is not every man who can enjoy the opportu- nity of studying human nature in a Caucasian or Mongolian variety, you might as well have » P. 254. t p. 19. 37.42. t P 43.