Volume 1

The Hunterian oration, presidential addresses, and pathological and surgical writings.

  • Hawkins, Caesar Henry, 1798-1884.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Hunterian oration, presidential addresses, and pathological and surgical writings. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

    13/464 (page 1)
    THE HUNTERIAN ORATION, DELITERED BEFORE THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND, ON THE 14TH OF FBBUUART, 1849, ♦ May it please your Royal Highness,* Mii. President, and Gentlemen : ^ As a lasting mai'k of respect to the memoiy of the late Mr. John Hunter, this day, the anniversary of his birth, has been set apart for this meeting by his relatives, Sir E, Home and Dr. Baillie. But of one bom in the year 1728, and removed from this scene of his labours fifty-six years ago, and made the subject of comment almost annually for the last thiity- five years,—what can possibly be said in elucidation of his character, and of the value of his scientific investigations, which has not been already rendered familiar to almost every one in this assembly ? • None will refuse to recognize in Hunter's unrivalled museum an evidence of unwearied pursuit of knowledge, and of stupendous labour, almost incredible as the work of one man in the short space of thii-ty-five years ;—few will hesitate to beheve, on the concurrent testimony of all who are best qualified to judge by theii' own eminence in the same pursuits, that in the sciences of anatomy and physiology,—human and comparative,—he effected a kind of revolution, and first pointed out the true path by which alone the mysteries of organized beings in every department, vegetable and animal, can be unravelled:—no one who has sufficiently studied his works and mental powers, will refuse to Hunter a place among those bright luminaries of science, from whom, as from the more distant heavenly bodies, light may still continue to reach us, even for centuries after they have themselves become extinct. * H.n.H. Trinco Albert honoured tlie College by liis pi-csoiice on tliis occnsion. n