TO THE LAST LECTURE. 495 



suppose that It has reached perfection ; or that it is destined 

 to stop at its present point. What has been hitherto effec- 

 ted, in the physiological and pathological principles of our 

 art, has been chiefly to expose and remove errors, to clear 

 away rubbish and incumbrances, and lay down some part of 

 the foundation. It still remains for us to erect the building. 

 We must increase, rather than relax our exertions. 



The currrent of knowledge and improvement rushes on 

 so strongly, that they, who hesitate to commit themselves to 

 it, will soon be left far behind ; and serve only the disgrace- 

 ful purpose of enabling us to measure the force and rapidity of 

 the stream. Beware, I exhort you, of this shameful apathy, 

 this fatal indecision ; and strain every nerve to advance all 

 branches, whether immediate or auxiliary, of the profession 

 you have chosen I You will thus enjoy the greatest pleasure, 

 which upright and honourable minds can receive, — that of 

 increasing the usefulness, and thereby raising the credit and 

 respectability, of the body to which you belong : you will 

 prepare for yourselves, at all times, a pure source of the 

 most satisfactory reflections. 



Our professional ministrations introduce us to our fel- 

 low-creatures in the most endearing character, — as instru- 

 ments of unquestionable benefit ; not merely in alleviating 

 or removing the severe pressure of that great evil, bodily 

 pain, and protracting the approach of that awful moment, 

 from which all sentient beings shrink back with instinctive 

 dread, — the termination of existence ; but in soothing the 

 acuter anguish which near relations and friends feel for 

 each other. Consider the responsibility attached to those 

 decisions, on which it will depend whether a beloved wife 

 or husband shall be saved, whether children shall be 

 restored to their anxious parents, or parents be preserved 

 for the benefit of tlieir offspring. On reviewing our con- 

 duct in these trying scenes, when all our efforts have been 

 unavailing, the reflection that nothing has been omitted, 

 which the resources of our art rendered possible, — nothing 

 neglected, which more diligent study, and more active pur- 

 suit of knowledge could have supplied, will be a support 

 and a consolation. VYliat must be the feelings of those, to 



