IV ADVERTISEMENT. 



nated at St. Pancras ; and that previously to the establish- 

 ment of the College, we were unillumined, in this country, 

 with a single ray of genuine science. We are not only 

 pestered with the perpetual repetition of new discoveries, 

 but, according to the professions of these writers, the Col- 

 lege was instituted for the mere purpose of speculation and 

 discovery; of overturning all former practice, and of begin- 

 ning, as one of them expresses it, ■ intirely de novo* 



Pretensions of this extravagant nature, feebly too, as 

 they have been supported, may, and in truth, already have 

 been, of considerable prejudice to the cause of the Veteri- 

 nary College; an excellent public institution, which reflects 

 great honour on the liberality of the present times, and, 

 from the influence and example of which, the country has 

 experienced eminent advantages. It needs no argument to 

 prove, nor any apology, that the ends of such an institu- 

 tion will be best answered by the promulgation of a rational 

 and humane system of veterinary practice, whether derived 

 from previous authority, or present experience. 



If, in the warmth of my zeal for the defence of former 

 writers, to whom I have acknowledged so much obligation, 

 I have been unmindful of the merits of my cotemporaries, 

 or have injuriously thrown into the shade any man's exer- 

 tions or laudable attempts at new discovery, nothing will 

 give me greater pleasure, than to acknowledge and retract 

 such error, on a' fair representation of the fact. 



In certain directions concerning Shoes (Vol.11, p. 231.) 

 to which, as they formerly stood, exceptions were made in 

 the public papers, I freely confess some alteration was re- 

 quired ; it will appear that I have made a material onc r 

 and that there is now little danger of error or miscon- 

 struction. 



In the medical department, I have retained the use ©f 

 cordials and warm aromatic seeds, professedly excluded 



from 



