xxviii PREFACE. 



tant for years, to the satisfaction of the patients of his master, 

 yet he is prevented from even offering himself for examination, 

 previous to setting up in business for himself, without pursuing, 

 at a great expense, a second course of study, certainly of an 

 inferior nature to apprenticeship when the master does his duty ; 

 since no one can suppose that much can be learned by a few 

 hours^ attendance on the most celebrated lectures in London, 

 especially as the necessary attention to pecuniary matters obliges 

 the pupils to hurry from one lecture to another, without first 

 digesting what they have just heard. 



As to the examination itself, although no person, intending to 

 set up in business, ought to object to this test of his abilities, 

 if fairly conducted, without any private predilection to the inte- 

 rest of particular teachers, by favouring their scholars, and 

 endeavouring to remand those of other teachers ; yet it is alleged 

 that, however advantageous examinations may be in public 

 schools, to create an artificial interest among young men of 

 property, who have no other stimulus to excite their exertions; 

 or however proper it may be for the superior medical officers of 

 the military and naval services, to examine the qualifications of 

 those seeking medical or surgical employment in those depart- 

 ments, or even the examination of candidates for the fellowship 

 or licence of the College of Physicians, or for becoming a member 

 of the College of Surgeons, considering these as honorary testi- 

 monies of superior abilities and education to the ordinary practi- 

 tioners ; yet the examination of an apprentice in favour of the 

 public is a novel measure and useless, since he has the stimulus 

 of profit to lead him to perfect himself in his art. It is, indeed, 

 true that similar examinations take place in other countries, but 

 they are in favour of the apprentice against his late master ; if 

 the apprentice be not found competent, the master is fined so 

 much as the wardens of the trade think it reasonable he should 

 give to another master to be fully instructed. .May it not admit 

 of some doubt, whether the covenant to instruct the apprentice 

 fully in the mystery of his business, does not enable a person, 

 remanded for insufficiency, to recover by law, from his former 

 master, the expenses incurred by such rejection, for deficient 

 instruction in his art? 



It is also objected to this Act, that the monies levied from the 



