HARVEY, DR WILLIAM, an eminent English physician in the 17th century, was incorporated doctor of physic in Cambridge, afterwards admitted into the college of physicians in London, and was appointed lecturer of anatomy and chirurgery in that college. In these lectures he opened his discovery relating to the circulation of the blood; which, after a variety of experiments, he communicated to the world in his Exercitatio anatomica de motu cordis et sanguinis. He was physician to King James I. and to King Charles I. and adhered to the royal cause. His works have eternalized his memory. In 1651, he published his Exercitationes de generatione animalium, a very curious work; but it would have been more so, had not his papers been destroyed during the civil wars. In 1654, he was chosen president of the college of physicians in his absence; but his age and weakness were so great, that he could not discharge the duty of that office; and therefore desired them to choose Dr Pringle. As he had no children, he settled his paternal estate upon the college. He had three years before built a combination-room, a library, and a museum; and in 1656 he brought the deeds of his estate, and presented them to the college. He was then present at the first feast, instituted by himself, to be continued annually, together with a commemoration speech in Latin, to be spoken on the 18th of October, in honour of the benefactors to the college; he having appointed a handsome stipend for the orator, and also for the keeper of the library and museum, which are still called by his name. He died in 1657.

This great physician had the happiness, in his lifetime, to find the clamours of ignorance, envy, and prejudice, against his doctrine, totally silenced, and to see it universally established. It has by length of Harvey, time, been more and more confirmed, and every man now sees and knows it from his own experience. It appears to be of the utmost importance in medicine; as it is perhaps impossible to define health and sickness in fewer words, than that the one is a free, and the other an obstructed, circulation. Dr Harvey was not only an excellent physician, but an excellent man; his modesty, candour, and piety, were equal to his knowledge; the farther he penetrated into the wonders of nature, the more he was inclined to venerate the Author of it.