Note 209 — Chapter I · (continued 2)

Thomas says, ‘Descartes eut aussi la gloire d'être un des premiers anatomistes de son siècle.’ Œuvres de Descartes, vol. i. p. 55; see also p. 101. In 1639, Descartes writes to Mersenne (Œuvres, vol. viii. p. 100) that he had been engaged ‘depuis onze ans’ in studying comparative anatomy by dissection. Compare p. 174, and vol. i. pp. 175–184.