Excerpt from An Inaugural Essay on Somnolency, for the Degree of Doctor of Physick: Submitted to the Consideration of the Hon. Robert Smith, Provost, and of the Regents, of the University of Maryland The subject selected for the ground work of this essay has received but a small share of the regard of physiologists. Manyiof them have avoided it'alto-f gether; and the occasional attention which phylosophi cal 'ci1riosity has paid it, is too limited and partial to throw more than a dim and doubtful light upon. The path of inquiry. The state of somnolency appears in fact too deeply laid in nature's plan either to invite or encourage much effort at discovery. The prospect of success bears no proportion to the magnitude and com plexity of the obstacles which block up the road of re search. But it is the proper business of physical in quiry to encounter natural difficulties. The more simple information of the senses, is neither adequate to man's real wants, nor the just limit of his rational desires. Science would still have slumbered over con fusion; had impediment or difficulty, always repressed the industry of intellect. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.