162 l)l'v. filLHERT's 



We must not, liowever, forget the address of the Piofcssor of Sur- 

 gery, Dr. Gilbert, who was honored by his compeers with the duty of 

 expressing the united views and feelings of the authorities to their inter- 

 esting charge, as they stood before them for the last time, flushed witli 

 joy for what they had achieved, and exulting in hope extending into the 

 bright future. To meet the expectations, formed on such occasions, is 

 not easy. It is indeed a difficult task to present instruction steeped in 

 feeling in such proportions as to satisfy and delight, to warn and to im- 

 press. Dr. Gilbert has, notwithstanding these difliculties, accomplished 

 his task in such a manner as has already in various ways been acknow- 

 ledged to be in a high degree commendable. He is entitled to the praise 

 that he has received, and whatever additional plaudits may follow, will 

 not be misplaced. His highest honor will be derived from the fidelity 

 of the graduates to the principles he has inculcated. 



The topics handled in this address, which will indicate its appropri- 

 ateness and shew its value, are, 1st, a Location for future operations; 2d, 

 Competition ; 3d, Honesty ; 4th, Idleness ; 5th, Trials. All these are 

 handled with great perspicuity, in an excellent spirit, with words fitly 

 spoken, and with the inculcation of the best principles of professional 

 and moral conduct. Various subordinate topics enrich the discourse un- 

 der the heads designated. We will present one or two extracts. On 

 the subject of study the highest ground is taken, and German literature 

 recommended. "The world is, however, beginning to acknowledge the 

 just claims of Germany. Being emphatically the land of books in gen- 

 eral literature, so in Medicine, in no part of the world are all its depart- 

 ments cultivated with greater diligence and success. Hence it follows, 

 that in England and in this country, a knowledge of German is begin- 

 ning to be regarded as almost indispensable to thorough scholarship 

 in Medicine. It is not easy to commune, thoroughly, with the German 

 mind, in its profound researches, simply by translation or report. Be- 

 ing a primitive language, and remarkably full, rich, and expressive, it is 

 diflicult to convey its full import in another tongue. That each one 

 may avail himself of the rich stores which are locked up in it, as in an 

 immense magazine, he should study this language \ and it will open to 

 liim the thoughts and doings of men, who have accomplished whatever 

 is brilliant in genius, or profound in medical philosophy. We need but 

 recite the names of Schwan, of Chelius, of Miiller, of Stromeyer, of 

 Liebeg, and of DiefTenbach, already familiar to us all ; but these are 

 only isolated rays — individual stars of that magnificent galaxy which 

 illumes the literary hemisphere of Germany. A great amount of ignor- 

 ance and error has. however, especially in this country, prevailed in re- 



