TESTIMONIAL TO PROFESSOR MORTON. 27l 
agriculturist, and you ought to be conversant with the laws 
that obtain here. Moreover, I have little doubt in my mind 
but that several diseases, which come under the notice of the 
Veterinary Surgeon, have their origin in the use of the many 
artificial manures now resorted to, either by their being taken 
in with the food, or by their inducing a luxuriant state of 
the vegetable ; and I am borne out by no mean authority in 
this opinion — one amongst us, Professor Simonds. We must 
not, therefore, be contented with what we have already done, 
and not continue to go forward, since, at the present day, to 
stand still is to retrograde. 
Your Chairman has spoken so ably of the advantages to 
to be derived from Chemical Science, that I am not neces- 
sitated to occupy your time any longer on this head. He 
has also given you much of my history. How he picked it 
up I do not know; but it is very true, that soon after my 
appointment as an officer of this Institution, (which is now 
twenty-seven years ago,) I saw the necessity of Chemistry 
and Materia Medica being taught within its walls. For 
many years I was a private instructor, and some of these 
were passed in junction with your excellent teacher in 
Anatomy, Physiology, &c., Professor Spooner ; but when the 
fitting time had arrived, I applied to the Governors of the 
College, who immediately, on my representing the advan- 
tages likely to accrue to the student, appointed me to the 
situation I have now the honour to fill. It is true, that I 
cannot say with Caesar, 
“ Veni, vidi, vici,” 
but I can say, that through the kind encouragement I have 
received, and that principally from students, I have been 
enabled to surmount all opposing difficulties, and, being- 
content, am highly gratified by this your approval of my 
conduct hitherto. May it be my good fortune to continue 
to merit it ! The inscription further designates me as the 
Student’s “ friend.” A proud distinction, and one I am 
solicitous ever to maintain. There might have been a time 
when it seemed that I could do more for the student than I 
do now ; but this I can honestly say, never was my sincerity 
greater than it is, although my zeal may have apparently 
lessened in its earnestness. 
But is there not another lesson taught by this magni- 
ficent present before me? What have we here? Copper 
and zinc, and tin, and silver, and clay — mere crude mate- 
rials of the earth ; yet the art of a cunning workman has 
fabricated them into things of usefulness and beauty, and 
