364 LETTER TO 



of which almost every person understands as 

 much, as renders him capable of determining, 

 whether or not they have been rightly con- 

 ducted. If the exhibition of talents has been 

 considerable, it is soon very generally known, 

 and is in a short time followed by an increase 

 of employment, from the desire of many to 

 benefit themselves by their assistance. A phy- 

 sician has no such opportunity of showing the 

 knowledge which he possesses ; he possesses 

 indeed, on beginning practice, much less know- 

 ledge capable of being turned to immediate use, 

 than a barrister of the same standing, and equal 

 application. His art is founded upon experi- 

 ment and observation, and the rules for exer- 

 cising it are always modified by external cir- 

 cumstances, which can never be accurately 

 known, except by one long conversant with 

 diseases, as they actually occur. Skill in me- 

 dicine is therefore not to be acquired by reading 

 alone : whereas law, being a collection of the 

 opinions and ordinances of men, is necessarily 

 studied in books ; and hence a considerable 

 knowledge of it may be obtained by those, who 

 have seen little 'of its application to particular 

 cases. Besides, a young barrister does not 

 appear in the management of any case, until 

 a considerable time has been spent by him in 

 preparation^ but the first calls upon a young 



