Prom Hippocrates to Galen, who flou rished towards the end of the second cen tury, in the decline of the Roman empire, that is, in the space of six liundred years, anatomy was greatly improved ; the phi losophers still considering it as a most cu rious and interesting brunch of natural knowledge, and the physicians, as a prin cipal foundation of their art. Both of them in that interval of time, contributed daily to the common stock, by more accurate and extended observations, and by tke lights of improving philosophy-.
Aristotle, a disciple of Plato, and pre ceptor of Alexander the Great, ia no lefts entitled to immortality for his immense labours in ifatural history and comparative anatomy, than as the founder of tite Peri patetic philosophy, which for two thou sand year-she'd undisputed sway over the whole learned world. He had formed the most enlarged design which perhaps was ever conceived by any man ; no less than tliat of a general and detailed history of all nature, a plan by far too vast for the short life of an individual. The love of science which distinguished Alexander no less than his ambition and thirst for glory, led him to encourage and assist the plans of Arist otle in a manner worthy of so great a prince; of so exaked a genius, and of such magnificent desig-ns. The sum of money which he u-ast therebv enabled to devote to his works on natural history would be almost incredible, did we nat. consider the traits of greatness which mark every action of Alexander, and were not the circutnstance stated Ly writers of tiu exceptionable authority. Athemeus, Pli ny, awl concur in representing it at between one and two hundred tholt sand pounds.
Shortly after the folindation of Alexan dria, a celebrated school was established there, to which the Creeks and other for eigners resorted for instruction, and Where physic and every branch of n.atnral know ledge were taught in the greatest perfec tion. Herophilus and E.r.tsistratus, two anatomists of this school, are particular ly celebrated in the history of anato my. They seem to be the first who dis sected the human body. At least in the time of Asistotle, who preceded these ana tomists by a very short interval, brutes only had been anatomised. It might hate been expected that the practice of em balming would afford favourable opportu nities ofanatomical investigation, but the rude manner in which the body was preps.
red, and the dread of pollution, prevented all instructive examination. The progress of the science required that anatomists should have subjects, on which careful and deliberate dissection might be prosecuted without fearof interruption. This benefit lA as obtained through the taste which the prineL s of that time displayed for the arts and sciences. The Ptolomies inherited, with their share of the empire of Alex der, the love of science, which shone so conspicuously in that monarch. Ptolemy Philadelphus ill% ited to his capital the greatest men of the age ;and by collecting books from all parts, at an immense ex reuses laid the foundation of the =grafi.
cent Alexandrian library. This king and his predecessor seem to have overcome the religious scruples which forbade the touch of the dead body, and gave up to the physicians the bodies of those who had forfeited their lives to the law. Nay, if the testimony of several authors may be believed, Herophilus and Erasistratus dis sected several unfortunate criminals alive. There is, however, something in this prac tice so repugnant to every feeling ofliuma nity, that we oughtprohably to considerit only as an exaggerated report of the novel practice of dissecting the human subject. The writings of these anatomistshave not descended to us: ourknoweledge of their progress in anatomy is derived only from a few extracts and noticeswhich occur in the works of Galen; butthese prove them to have made great advainces in the know ledge ofthe structure of the human body.
The Romans, in prosecuting their schemes of universal conquest and domi nion, soon became acquainted with the Creeks, and the intercourse of the two nations was constantly increasing. Thus the arts, the philosophy, and the miwriers of the Greeks were introduced into Italy. Military glory and patriotism„ which had formerly been the ruling passion of the Roman people, now gave way in some de gree to the soft arts of peace. The lead ing men of the Roman republic sought the company and conversation of the learned Greeks; thus literature and philosophy were transported from the Greeks to the Romans, and gave rise to the taste and ele gance of the Augustan age. In this way did conquered Greece triumph over the unpolishedroughness of her conquerors.