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THE
S Y D E N H A M   S O C I E T Y

INSTITUTED

MDCCCXLIII



LONDON
MDCCCXLVII.

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PRINTED BY C. AND J. ADLARD,
BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE.

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THE WORKS
OF
WILLIAM HARVEY, M.D.

PHYSICIAN TO THE KING, PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY AND SURGERY
TO THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS

TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN

WITH

A   L I F E   O F   T H E   A U T H O R

BY

ROBERT WILLIS, M.D.
MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF ENGLAND,
CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF
GÖTTINGEN, OF THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY OF PHYSICIANS
AND SURGEONS OF VIENNA, AND OF THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA,
ETC. ETC.


L O N D O N

PRINTED FOR THE SYDENHAM SOCIETY
MDCCCXLVII.

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PREFACE.

When, at the instance of the governing body of the Sydenham Society, Iundertook to edit the Works of the immortal Discoverer of theCirculation of the Blood, in English, I believed that the chief of theseWorks were already extant in our language, in such a shape as would makelittle more from an editor necessary than a careful revision of thetext. I had unwarily adopted the idea, very gratuitously originated byAubrey, that Harvey was what is called an indifferent scholar, and thatthe English versions of his writings were the proper originals, theLatin versions the translations. Having access to the handsome editionof Harvey’s Works in Latin, revised by Drs. Lawrence and Mark Akenside,and published by the College of Physicians in 1766, I had alwaysreferred to that when the course of my studies led me to consult Harvey.Of the English versions, or any other edition, I knew little or nothing.On proceeding to my new duty of English editor, however, I immediatelysaw that the masterwork of Harvey on the Motions of the Heart and Blood,far from having the character of an originally English writing, musthave been rendered into English by one but little conversant with thesubject, that it was both extremely rebutting in point of style and fullof egregious errors, and that nothing short of an entirely newtranslation could do justice to this admirable treatise, or secure forit, at the present day, the attention it deserved. Full of zeal, and...