LETTERS. 615
to the kidneys. Nor can this juice be spoken of as preter- natural ; neither ought it to be compared to the vagitus uterinus, seeing that in pregnant women the fluid is always present, the vagitus an incident of very rare occurrence. What you say of the excrements of new-born infants differing from those of the child that has once tasted milk I do not admit ; for, except in the particular of colour, I scarcely perceive any difference between them, and conceive that the black hue may fairly be ascribed to the long stay of the faeces in the bowels.
Your proposal that I should attempt a solution of the true use of these newly-discovered ducts, is an undertaking of greater difficulty than comports with the old man far advanced in years, and occupied with other cares : nor can such a task be well entrusted to several hands, were even such assistance as you indicate at my command / but it is not ; Highmore does not live in our neighbourhood, and I have not seen him for a period of some seven years. So much I write at present, most learned sir, trusting it will be taken in good part as coming from yours,
Very sincerely and respectfully,
WILLIAM HARVEY.
Loudon, 13th July 1655 (old style).
��LETTER VIII.
To the very learned John Nardi, of Florence, a man distinguished alike for his virtues, life, and erudition.
MOST EXCELLENT SIR, I lately received your most agree- able letter, from which I am equally delighted to learn that you are well, that you go on prosperously, and labour strenuously in our chosen studies. But I am not in- formed whether my letter in reply to yours, along with a few
1 [Horst, in the letter to which the above is an answer, had said, " Nobilissime Ilarveie, &c. Most noble Harvey, I only wish you could snatch the leisure to ex- plain to the world the true use of these lymphatic and thoracic ducts. You have many illustrious scholars, particularly Highmore, with whose assistance it were each to solve all doubts." ED.]
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