Item 46 - Letter from William Clark

2 pp

Cambridge - WC has read 'your three sheets on the Philosophy of Biology' with 'much pleasure'. WW should give more consideration to Haller [Albrecht von Haller?]. He 'set about determining the properties of the various organic textures'. Bichat [Marie Franc. Bichat?] did much which Haller left undone. 'The vital properties of the living tissues studied in connection with the stimuli which incite their action, (whether these be internal or from external nature,) are the foundation of modern Physiology'. WC thinks that WW should 'dispose of the 'Vital Principle'' in his sequel; 'its assumption [is] of no use - and not philosophical: and if you think so too, it might be well clearly to show (as you can) how its rejection is not materialism in the irreligious sense of the term'. It is a subject which has now agitated a great deal of physiological discussions.