The National Register. — London, England, 1816-06-02 00:00:00

" 13 t VIOL:47'ION OF TIIE, D.E.41) " THE. TROPIF.II STUDY OT MANKIND IS HAN." Mr. Elution—lVs your varied and useful paper of Sunday last, I read the letter of your correspondent. ,f. W.P., on what he sails a practice which " brutalizes the human character ;" and as he pi ofesses to he only seeking for information, thongh cer tainly in latiguaea , somew hat onset mly, 1 will venture an at tempt at setting him right. I hope he is open to cotivictio.i; however, we will try. 1 will just cursorily run over his argnineris, and make such passing observations as to me appear to apply; reserving to nivaelf the privilege of entering more rutty into particulars, should J. tt . P. express hints( It unsatisfied by this eonsitinni s: I will first say this much for him and bat argument, that I no ser enter a cathedral, or house apprupriutedao the dead, with out removing fay list with the most profound and reverential awe ; and that I never pass unordinary burying-ground withoUt feeling a mute inexpressible veneration lbs . the mouldering in. habitants of the silent torah. . His setter is now lying before me ; but, before I enter with him into detail, stiffer me to generalize a little. He and all the world must grant me this, that Anatomy is a science second ar y only to the iTivine one of astronomy, the sublime study of those spheres which revoke in beautiful order, and hannentons regu larity round the immediate throne of God ; that it is a science which clearly thews man to himself; which tells him lie is not self-created, nor the congregating of loose atoms, nor the con nection of the most fortoilons circumstances; hut the ititmerli. ate handy work of his dis ine maker: that Anatomy :thews us our own institheiency, and (lint the presiding finger of God is as manifest in the most delicate portion of a nerve, in the times than delicate itiosculation of ,111 artery with its according vein, In the finely measured systole and dystole of the heart, in the attended and tastefully painted surface of the lungs, in the exquisite!) sensitive feeling of the brain, or in that finely finished optical unto umeut the eye, as in the perfect Alla Godlike whole ; and be us the beautiful ,ymutcity,thccomplicated yet correct mechaiti tin of our own frame, must neeessaiity lead ns up to the contemplation of that beneficent Being who is himself all perfection, and whose every uct and production calls upon us to admire and ssorship ; and, as genuine science ever was, end will be, united ill Ills! i'lolest bonds of union with trite re ligion, Anatomy, being one of a superior order, ran never be studied without t humanizing our actions, refining our sentiments, end raising our affections to heaven. I have discovered, on my first reading, that J. W. I'. is very fond °lntuiting to the 41161111 A fur every thing. fu order, then, 0 narrow the argument as much as possible, and shut him out for ever from 11 Son FCC which can Acid him nothing but confitsitio, I will trouble him with ii brief history of mist°. aly. I need not go farther Lack than to Hippourates, the father ot medicine, who tlourislied about .190 years before Christ; who, In spite of climate, prejudice, and superstition, persevered in the study till lie became an ornament to society and the profession, though far from a proficient. ras followed,.and might have the sane desire to en lighten the world, but certainly not the s.:nie ability ; stud lie gather added to, than removed errors trout the infant zeience. At this time, Anatomy, from the paucity of dissections, made ! Ant slow advancements, and was confined to the two schools of Athens and Alexandria. In the firmer, the names of Socrates, Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, and 'Flienpluastis, are still highly respected ; but after their time, the study of m:oral knowledge at Athens stink for ever. While, however, it sunk at Athens, It shone at Alexandria with increased splendour; and Erisistra. gas and Herophilus were highly distinguished for anatomical knowledge; as by the enlightened policy and liberal patronage of the Ptolotnies, they enjoyed ample opportunities of dissect. ing dead bodies (the first at this school); and the consequent Int orovements which anatomy received were great. After them Caine Asclepiades, Ephesiats, and Celsius, the most classic writer that ever appeared on toe art of medicine. Next came Galen, who was physician to roar Emperors. From the time of Galen to the fifteenth century, anatomy was rather on the decline. 'towards the close of the twelfth century. however, A bdollaliph taught it among the Aitibians, and by collecting bones from e borying-grounds had °ppm !unities of discovering many of Ga len's errors in osteology. In the early part of the sixteenth century, the great Vesalins, the restorer of anatomy, who ven tured to teach dissection systematically, and who, by his won derful perseverance, and th assistance of his pupil Fallopius, trolled in such a title of light upon the science, and of benefit to mankind, as to gain them Minim tality, and the thanks of all good men. From this time it became a profession honoured wild respected ; and the seventeenth century witnessed tilts dis. tovery of the most important function of animated bodies, the circulation of the blood, by Harvey; since Minnie time the men el eminence that have shone in the proles.ion, and the ins alum ble discoveries they have made, are by far to tinnwrous for me to name, neither do they need it, their works :pm ak fur them. Having said thus much to chew that from the earliest, and even tin ouch the very d.trkest ages of mankind, Anatomy has been eagerly sought and steilied by Saees, Statesmen, and Philosophers; and that it has been tolerated, encouraged, and commendedjust in proportion tro the dissipation of igno . lance, and the diffusion of useful knowledge, and /A like that groundless and fanciful theory Astrology, which has ever flourished in the exact ratio of the density •f that dark and Impenetrable night of ignorance which generated it; and also to prevent J. W. P. from running about float century to cen tury, picking up all the obscure anecdotes that can be tither collected or invented, I will now draw my chair a little closer, and enter freely into conversation. As to his first embarrass anent, in accounting for why the practice has not bet n " . repro. bated, or indeed noticed, by the pious and humans. writers of the present day,' I answer, it is fur this good reason, that not from inattelition (as he supposes), , but that after viewing the prartive with an extended compassionate eve, they have all been convinced that it is a practice much to he deplored on awn: l 9i of the feelings of the survivors, yet from its imperious and tbspensible necessity to lie tolerated: and, indeed, who, but those of sicklied sensibility and narrowed views Minns any, could wish to stop the diffusion of this most useful and eoutfort-yielding science, or wonder that men with better hearts and sounder understandings should hove seen it as it rcilly is, the sole basis of surgery; and that as they have valued their own health, lilies, or limbs, or those of their sof tering fellow-creatures, or as they admire, and wish to prontol gate iveiy kind of nue science and philosophy, they have, imtead of Ile, Trebling a system, without which Mall lutist I again tall into barbarism, have not only refrained front cont. • atsenting on it, bat have themselves actually entered into the Judy with all thu it Souls, "Serene philosophy, Efr.isive f‘nurce of evidence and truth! Without thee, vault were unenlightent d loan ? teen ge, 1 . o:onion t;troogh the ‘• 0(1114 zind wilds, Or clad, rio‘ old of every fincr art lice of life." __.iimiNNlll THE NATIONAL RECrIgTER. And we now seethe first men of the age, who iron, practica knowledge are capable of maintaining a lone and luminous disputation on Pathology, Morbid Anatomy, and Animal Eco nomy, svillinily I ✓e ove to men afflicted with more temerity and endowed with !este sonnd s e nse, to cavil at what they can neither understand nor appreitiate ; and happily for the cause of humanity that it is so; for without the suicieal opeiab.r hating the most acetira:c knowledge of Anatomy, such an one as is only to he obtained by minute dissections and intense study over the dead body, o hat hope of relict:could those poor untortnnate beings have who are labouring tender Strangulated Hernia, Stone in the Bladder, Tic Dotilorcux, Cataract of the Eye, Compression on the Dram, Aneurismos °united Artery, or t ern down to ordinary accidents requiring amputation, or other operation : have they no claims on our a)mpathies ? Again, look on those brave defenders of our bottles and liberties who may be wounded while lighting our battles,' in the field, or ou the oecon ! is the eye of coinparjon to be forevesaverted from them ?and they :eft a prey to unnecessary anguish and untimely death, Iseentise the surgeon does not know how to extract a ball, remove a limb, or even apply the tourniquitte? It is a sim ple que.tion of feeling, whether one dead body in ten thowund shall be appropriated to the surgeon, or the dark 'V ei I of igno rance shall be drawn over the whole art of medicine, levying the world a prey to disease and wretchedness. - - - " Then whence these fears—whence springs this innate dread, " Which starts repulsive from the harmless dead." Has ingimilulged himself in some dightsof fancy,J.W.P. gravely asserts, that the burying the dead is an "expiatory ceremony . and that it' we disturb their ashi s ' we break in upon the repose of the departed sold. Ido not know where he got this notiort, but it is too ridiculous to be answered. He then rambles on till he loses himself, and talks about dis secting beasts " of analogous organisation to the human frame." There is comparative anatomy, but no such thing as analogous anatomy . . lie then indulges himself with a treat of si ;u -tility towards the profession in these term-: " the ruthless knite of the unfeeling sucgical operator," " merciless ope rators in surgery," " barbarian hands of surgical operators," and a great dual more in the same relined strati!. M bat an ex cellent Billingsgate inarketnian is here spoiled! Arc these tit epithets to be applied to the man who in the hey-day of youth, when his powers of enjoyment are at their height, veluntarily gives up every pleasure of society, and recreation, and a guLat portion of that sleep which nature tine' asingly calls 1..., mid shots himself up with a loathsome fetid body, in e edit to f't hint for becoming an useful member of society, and to enable him to yield health and ease to his fellow creature? This, in deed, is " Zeal roc God, and active love for man." Has J. W. P. never mixed in the society of medical men, and witnessed the goodness of their hearts, the refinement of their sentiments, and their engaging affability? It he has, and ever left them vt ithont being pleased, they either treated him coutemptitously, or he has made a very illiberal return. 'lbis is nil his letter acieunts to. I was much pleased to find, after all the nnaceountable things he has said, that he VIII close It so humorously as he has done, by his quotation from the Taunton Coorier it is an excellent joke, and has age to recommend it; for it has stood the test of more than twenty nipping winters; and by this soli tary stroke of wit he Mei convinced me that the drift of his whole letter is only to raise se langh at its close ; in which you, lam sure, w ill grant me he has succeeded. Yours, Etc. Lc. Loudon-road, May 20, Istn. J. W. PRINCE REGEN7"S COURT, ctc. Tuesday the Prince Regent held a Court at Carlton House, for the purpose of receiving the Address of the University of upon the marriage of Princess Charlotte with Prince Leopold. It being publicly known that the Members were to walk in procession through Pall Vail in their academical robes, a great crowd was attracted. The procession began to mon soon after three o'clock, preceded by two Esquires and two Yeo men Bedles, followed by Lord Grenville, as Chancellor, in his splendid robes ; the Delegates, consisting of Drs. I.endon, Hughes, Cole, and Htxlgson, the Principals of Jesus, Exeter, Worcester, and Brazenose Colleges, the Earl of Yarmouth, Lord Kenyon, the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of London and Norwich, the Duke of Portland, the Marquis of Salisbury, &c. in number about .360. They were conducted to the Regent, who was seated on , his Throne, surrounded by several of the Cabinet Ministers awl Officers of Slate. The Chancellor then read the Address; to which the Prince returned a mort gracious answer. The Delegates had then the honour to kiss his Royal Highness's hand, and retired. Wednesday the Prince Regent held a Levee at Carl ton-house, which was very numerously attended. A Guard of Honour of the Grenadier Guards, under the command of Col. Juddrell, with the bond in their state uniform, with caps to correspond with the grenadiers, which they have within these Jim , days received, marched into the Court and played a number of loyal tunes. A party of the Li& Guards attended in Pall-mall with Sir N. Conant, and a numerous assemblage of Bow street Officers. It being a Collar Day, the Court was particularly brilliant. The Dukes of Clarence, Glou cester, and Prince Leepold, were present ; the two latter paid their respects to the Regent upon their being ap pointed Field Marshals. There were also present the Cabinet Ministers and Officers of State. Ambassadors and Ministers—Saxon, Spanish, Russian, Sar dinian. Mitch, Bavarian, French, Swedish, Wirtemberg, Aus trian, Danish, Prussian, American, and Portuguese. The Vice Chancellor. the'Cliieli int ire ot the Common Pleas, the Adjutant General, Mr. Chancellor Leach, the Judge Advo cate, Mr. Alderman Magnay ; the Recorder, Mayor, and B:d -litis of Live 'Tool ,• the Mayor and Sheriff of 111 istol, the She riff of Brecon, the Mayor of Yarmouth, the Sheriff of Pelll lirnke. the Recut der and the Town Clerk of Bristol, the Mayor of Salisbury, the Vie's-W(10+1os, eXe. of the linelstaini Society. Several of the latter with Addresses of Congratulation on the recent Royal Near At the cloy of the Court the Regent went to dine with the Queen .n-hF :4. FEMALE ef S H lONS. PROM TUC REPSSITORY Or ARTS. FASHIONS, &C. Brunet. nit ESS.—A frock of htriimi French gauze over a.whihr satin slip; the bottom of the frock is superbly trimmed with a deep flounce of Brussels lace, which is surmounted by a single tuck of lops whit, satin and a wreath of roses; above the wreath Ore two tucks of byes white satin. The form of the body and sleeves is singular, novel, and tasteful; but we are forbidden either to deeribe it, or mention the materials of which it is composed. The hair is dressed low it the sides, and arted so as to entirely display the forehead; it is unlamented with an elegant aigrette of pearls in trout, mid a sprig of French lost splacid nearly at thel hack of the head. Necklace, ear-rings, and braets of /lien. White kid gloves, and white satin slippers. Evr.N try ones.—The dress es composed of white lace, and am" OVer a rich white soft satin slip; the skin is finished round the bctenit by a deep flounce of lace, and three narrow byas satin tucks, which are surmounted by a wreath of beautiful fancy flowers. The hod) , ind sleeves are peculiarly elegant and novel; a satin front, which forms the shape in an easy and Incoming style, is ornsmented at each hidu with a light embroidery of flowers, and tioisbed with bows of ribbon. The steer is, we think, the most tasteful that has been lately intro duced. The hair is parteuso its partially to display the forehead, arid ornamented with a wreath of flowers. Necklace. car-rings, and brace lets of diamonds. White kid gloves, soul while satin slippers richly umbniidered in coloured silks . A rich white lam scarf is thrown care lessly over the left shoulder, and partially shades one side of the neck. SPORTING. rrsom RACES, WETKESDAY, MAT in. The Woodcut Stakes of :Arr. each. Int%t Fla!f.rnik. I.oe LOA flier's b. c. by Dick Andrews, out of a Barb ware - Mr. Blake•' h. f. by Waxy. darn by Young Whiskey - - Mr. B. barlier's c. by Maranon, out of Fully • - Mr. Crts,ate , f. by Eaton, out of Gerona _ The Coburg Stakes of to,ti. lath. Duke of Hutland's Fandango. by Selint, 4 yis uld - Mr. eharlton's b. f. Tozer, 5 yrs old Mr. Gould's b. c. Vision, 4 yrs old SECOND DAY, MAT 30. The second and last ytar of a renewal cf the Derby stakes of sOgs etch, h. ft. for 5.yr.-old cells, tot. 71b.—fillits, Eq. Ob. the last milts and a half: the owner of the td horse w reesiTe lOtrgs. out of tlso stakes. - 7- -- i mite of York's b. e. by 'testily, out of Gramairo - - - 1. Lord G. 11. Cavendiall's br. c. Neetor, lly Walton . - Lord Stawell's ch. c. by Walton. out of l'autina Twelve started. The judge placed but three. The colt won by two lengths in fine style. A sweerstakes of logs. each, with Tngs. added from the Racing Funds for 5-yr. old, Cat. 41b.; four, 75t.211).; five, ost. t3b. ; a;•Lti, Rat. 121 b.; the last mile. The winner to be sold fur 2006 pi. if demanded, &c. Gen. Gower's b. f. Clarihell, 4 yrs. . . - • . • i lord Stowell's b. c. Golden Leg, 5 yrs. Mr. Charlton's b. c. l'on pey, 4 yrs. a Mr. Blake's b. c. Sir Christopher, 4 yrs. - - - - * Mr. Sadler's cb. f. Venus. :3 yrs. This mce was keenly contested. and won by two lengths. A plate of 501. for all ages; two-mile heats; 3-yr. olds% Est. 71h. four, Net. 411).; five, fut. tolh.; six, and aged, Ist. The winner of one plate or sweepstakes in this year to carry 51b. extra; of two, Sib.; and of three 71h. _ _ D. of litkind's Valid/m^ . o. 4 yrs. 1 t Mr. J. Perrell's b. c. Carer, 4 yrs. r dr Mr. Hill's ch. c. by Rubcns, 3 y m The weather proved very tlivourahle, and there was a ntunemus con course of apectators, amongst whom was his Royal Highness the Duke of Yerk, who was greatly dated at the success of his cult; it being the, first Derby stakes he had ever won. THIRD DAY, FRIDAY. MAY 31. - - - - - - The second and last year of a renewal of the Vela Stakeek, of Sega. each. h. it. for (Wire then 3 yrs. old. to carry Pet. 411 , . the last mile and a half. The owner of the second hum to receive langs..ont of the Stakes. Gen. Gower's f. by Rubens, out of Iris l.ord Foley', b. f. by Sir David. out of Dowager - - 9 Mr. Walker's eh. Lby Selim, dam by Skyscraper - - S Twelve started. The judge placed but the above three. The TM* wa4 wal curtest d, hut not so good as we hive see' for the Oaks. Bribers' f. won by halts length. dhoda the favourite at starting. We4lo not reef - fleet ever to have seta so small an assemblage of spectators on the Dnufls to witruss the running fur the t;aks : but Lt tie betting took plate, and every thir,g seurnedlint. The knowing ones at Errin were compleb•ly taken in On Thursday ; for the Duke of York's colt, by 11, arliey, who wets the Derby Stake, is a eery poor figtere. and hots were 4 to 1 against him. Nectar and lYtilteis kept the lead until witk•rt 230 yards of the Winning post ; when the Duke of York's colt shot by him like an snow from a bow, and eaase-in, in grand style, two lengths before them. Eaton, the celebrated pedestrian is hacked to a hugs amount to perform the unprecedented task of walking eleVen hundred miles in eleven hundred successive hums ; • )eonmence each mile within twenty minutes after the preceding hour. The bet to be void, if at any time the performance should be impeded by Magisterial interference, or by the Pedestrian re ceiving any designed injury. Eaton commences the task on Blackheath at Eight O'Clock in the Evening on Tuesday nest June 4. • Wilson, the Blackheath pedestrian, who started on Thursday se'nnight, in the vincinity of Cambridge, to walk 100 miles is 7.1 successive hours, failed in bis nndertakiug, by only a qdarter of n mile. A match at cricket was made, a few days agn, by a party of Gentlemen, for tOO Lmineas, which Is to be played next week, by it one-sinned pensioners belont:ing to Chelsea Hospital, and an equal number of once legged veterans. The bets at present are in favour of the arms. BOXING.—J. Stephenson and 8. Robinson, Iwo blacks, fought on Tuesday at Coombe Warren for 40 guineas. Thy seconds were, Richmond and Harry lionner for Stephenson, and Oliver and Shelton for Robinson. The number of rounds, and the various evolutions in the fight, are too contemptible to detail, Soffice i it, therefore, to state, that Stephenson bud no cbance ; and though rounds were &fluid, he gave in several times berme, though his seconds insisted upon his con tinuing the tight. The contest lasted an hour and 12 minutes. Two other sagabond blacks afterwards fought; besidi !which there were three other fights, Caleb Baldwin beat another black fellow; and a Jew, of the name of Randall, heal one of his own tribe. The other fight was between two novices, who w , re on this occasion added to the already too numerous gang of ntfiiaus. This meeting aas attended by most orate thieves and pickpockets in London, who committed their depredations upon the silly people who had tv.sonibled with impunity. Solely such meetings should be sn i .pi-ciised! the injury they do to society is beyond estimate; a e place Bibles in the hands of the lower eht , se4.--we establish National Schools tot the (duration of their children-. and we endea %von to inculcate in their minds the prioeiples of relicin, and all iu r. It. v , duties; not pi. what purpose does all this lead, while oil se , i.es are tolerated e •