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quence of the barrister, but what is far better, his intellectual 

 powers have been enlarged and strengthened by a more com- 

 prehensive course of study and discipline ; and he is prepared 

 not merely to discharge his duty toward his clients, but if oc- 



which our institutions require, and to perform its functions with 

 credit to himself and advantage to the commonwealth. The 

 experience of every day furnishes additional proof of the truth 

 of these remarks ; and were we to cross the ocean, we should 

 find that the most distinguished professional men even there, 

 were those whose acquirements were most extensive, and whose 

 studies had been the most varied. 



The different professions, the sciences and the fine arts would 

 furnish similar illustrations : what has been said of one, might 

 with equal truth be said of all. But whatever difference of 

 opinion may exist as to the consequences or advantages of such 

 a state, there can be none as to the fact, that however the case 

 may be elsewhere, here we hardly know of division of labor, 

 except in name. And what I consider the necessary conse- 

 quence is every where apparent: there are scarcely any whose 

 depth and accuracy of knowledge is so great as to be remark- 

 able, but at the same time there is none of that entire and al- 

 most brutal ignorance, which is by aU admitted to prevail so 

 extensively over the greater portion of Europe. The genial 

 stream of knowledge is not here collected into wells and re- 

 servoirs of limited extent and unfrequent occurrence, but of 

 unfathomable depth, but is spread over the whole country in 

 kindly rills, of depth sufficient to prevent their entire evapora- 

 tion, and carrying every where nutriment and health. 



In such a situation of society, it was absolutely necessary, 

 in attempting to found an institution for scientific purposes, to 

 give to it a plan and object of great, one might almost say un- 

 limited extent, in order thereby to ensure the union of a num- 

 ber of individuals sufficient for its existence and continuance. 

 Experience also, in our case, added her warning voice, and the 

 union of two societies has shewn, that far more has been ac- 

 complished by them jointly, than could, under the most favor- 

 able circumstances, have been expected from their divided ef- 

 forts. 



