Five treatises viz. [brace] 1. Of urines, 2. Of the accension of the blood, 3. Of musculary motion, 4. The anatomy of the brain, 5. The description and use of the nerves / by Thomas Willis ...

THE ANATOMY OF THE BRAIN.

The Authors Epistle Dedicatory to his Grace Gilbert Archbishop of Canterbury, &c.

Most Honourable Prelate,

ONCE more your Sidley Professor and your Servant (the more happy Title) flings himself at Your feet, with this only Ambi∣tion, that he might render something of Thanks for Your Kindness and benefits, and that our Labours might chuse such a Patron, that might give Credit to the Author. But I fear, lest by my repeated Duty I may seem troublesom, and no less in acknow∣ledging Your Benefits, than others in suing for them: But so great is my Gratitude, and so exceeding is Your good Nature, that they cannot be crowded into a little compass, much less wearied out or drawn dry.

But there is another Reason, which if it doth not command what I do, may at least excuse and defend it. For when I had resolved to unlock the secret places of Mans Mind, and to look into the living and breathing Cha∣pel of the Deity (as far as our weakness was able) I thought it not lawful to make use of the Favours and Patronage of a less Person, neither perhaps would it have become me. For You indeed are He, who most happily presides (both by Merit and Authority) over all our Temples and Sacred Things. Therefore after I had slain so many Victims, whole Hecatombs almost of all Animals, in the Anatomical Court, I could not have thought them rightly offered, unless they had been brought to the most holy Altar of Your Grace.

I am not ignorant, how great the labour is that I undertake: For it hath been a long while accounted as a certain Mystery and School-house of Atheism to search into Nature, as if whatever Reasons we grant to Philo∣sophy, should derogate from Religion, and all that should be attributed to second Causes, did take away from the first.

But truly, he doth too much abuse the Name of Philosophy, who con∣siders the wheels, curious frame, setting together, small pins, and all the make and provision of a Clock, by which invented Machine the course of the Time, the orders of the Months, the changes of the Planets, the flow∣ing and ebbing of the Sea, and other things of that kind, may be exactly known and measured, if that at length, when by this his search and consi∣deration,

he hath profited himself so much, he should not acknowledge the Artist, to whose Labour and Wit he owes all those things.

I am sure I am of another mind and opinion, who look into the Pandects of Nature, as into another Table of the Divine Word, and the greater Bi∣ble: For indeed, in either Volume there is no high point, which requires not the care, or refuses the industry of an Interpreter; there is no Page certainly which shews not the Author, and his Power, Goodness, Trust, and Wisdom.

In the mean time, there is no right Weigher of things that can lay to our charge as a fault, that we have studied these Rolls of Nature, because some Atheists may be made thereby; which may be objected to the studies of Divines in Sacred Letters, that from their provision Hereticks have taken their Arguments and Opinions, and turned them against them and Godliness.

That I may deal freely, whoever professes Philosophy, and doth not think rightly of God, I do judge him not only to have shaken hands with Religion, but also with Reason, and that he hath at once put off Philo∣sophy as well as Christianity. Therefore I desire, that all mine may be tryed and approved, no less by the demonstration of Piety and Canons of the Church, than by the Rule of Experience and Knowledge, to which I keep: Neither do I intreat and respect only the Mecaenas of humane Arts, but also the Primate and chief of Divine, whilst I openly profess my self, with all due observance,

YOUR GRACES Most humble and obliged Servant, THO. WILLIS.