him whenever he had anything to say; he was now to have some of his opinions disputed, his mode of advocating them impugned, his views of "Life" made the subject of ridicule, and even his fair dealing in argument called in question. All this, too, by no stranger; no person known only to him as one of the public, but by one who had been his pupil, whose talents he had helped to mature and develop, whose progress and prospects in life he had fostered and improved, and to whom, as was affirmed by the one and attested by the other, he had been a constant friend.

That this controversy was the source of much suffering to Abernethy, we are compelled to believe; and it is altogether to us so disagreeable and difficult a subject, that we should have preferred confining ourselves to a bare mention of it, and a reference to the works wherein the details might be found; it is, however, too important an episode in the life of Abernethy to be so passed over; it suggests many interesting reflections; it exhibits Abernethy in a new

and brings out in stronger relief than any other transaction of his life, the best and most distinctive traits of his character (benevolence and Christian feeling), under temptations which have too frequently disturbed the one, and destroyed the other.

Progress of Discovery, 2, 3.

Galileo, Bacon, Kepler, Berzelius, Davy, &c., 3-5.
Discovery, Result of Combined Effort, 6.

Of Physiological Laws, 7.

Meaning of Events not seen at the time, 8, 9.

Clear Ideas of what is deficient, 10.

First Step in Enlarging a Science, 11.

False Ideas concerning Medical Science, 12, 13.
Birth of Abernethy, 14.

Its Relation to Hunter's Labours, 15.

Abernethy's Family, 16.

Goes to School, 17.

School Life, 18.

CHAPTER II.

Predictions of Character often Erroneous, 19.

Dryden, Swift, Sheridan, 20.

Galileo, Newton, Wren, 21.

Individuality of Abernethy, 22.

Schoolfellows, 23, 24.

Their Reminiscences, 25-30.

Leaves School, 1778, and Returns to London, 31.

CHAPTER III.

Mistakes in Choice of Professions, 32, 33.

Of Success, Steadiness, Industry, 34.

Industry of Abernethy, 35.
His Inclination for the Bar, 36.
His Powers of Memory, 37.
Becomes a Pupil in Surgery, 38.
Apprenticed to Sir C. Blicke, 39.
Of Apprenticeship, 40, 41.
Sir Charles Blicke, 42, 43.

Abernethy's Early Disposition to Scientific Inquiry,
44, 45.

Attends the Lectures of Sir William Blizard and Mr.
Pott, 46, 47.

CHAPTER IV.

Sir William Blizard, 48.

Abernethy's Views of Anatomy, 49.

Anatomy chiefly Interesting as a Key to Physiology,
50, 51.

Abernethy's Grateful Recognition of Early Precepts
from Sir William Blizard, 52, 53.

Incentives to Study, 54.

Abernethy at the London Hospital, 55.

Modes of Teaching Anatomy, 56.

Demonstrates for Sir William Blizard, 57.

Attends Mr. Pott's Lectures, 58, 59

Lectures in Bartholomew Close, 67.

His Education as a Lecturer, 68.

Becomes a Teacher, 69.

Care Necessary in Youthful Labour, 70.

His Lectures soon Attractive, 71.

Importance of Comparative Anatomy, 72,73.

His Zeal and Industry, 74, 75.

The Celebrated Dessault, 76.

INDEX.

Shyness of Abernethy, 77.

Increased Attractions of his Lectures, 78.

The New Theatre, 1791, 79.

Change, 80, 81.

CHAPTER VI.

337

Changes in our own Bodies, 82, 83.
Vegetables Grown on Flannel, 84.
Leeches kept in Distilled Water, 85.
Experiments on Rabbits, Chickens, and Eggs, 86, 87.
Of the Ultimate Particles of Matter, 88.
His Reflections Thereon, 89.

SECTION I.

Dissection of a Whale, 90, 91.

Absorbent Vessels in the Whale, 92, 93.

Of Glands, 94, 95.

Curious Cases, 96.

SECTION II.

Deviations from Natural Structure, 97.
Combination of Natural Laws, 98.

Their Import in Natural Theology, 99.

Dissection how formerly supplied, 100.

Curious Relations of Heart and Liver, 101-103.
Of the Public Aversion to the Inspection of the Dead,
104, 105.

CHAPTER VII.

Armstrong the Poet, 106.

Of Pain, 107.

Of Painless Diseases, 108.

Of an Insidious Malady, 109.

Abernethy's Essay on Lumbar Disease, 110.

Principles of his Plan, 111.

Abernethy's Plan Misunderstood, 112-114.

Misinterpreted by Sir A. Cooper, 115.

Real Objects of the Plan, 116.

Suggested by an Accident, 117.

VOL. I.

Z