52 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
“ Ruin, as she scanned their lot, 
Read that they were, and — they are not.” 
Many of our professional brethren, in the performance of 
their duty, witnessed these appalling scenes, although they 
were not called upon to take any active part in them. Theirs 
is not to slay, but to heal. Since then gentle Peace has 
waved her olive branch over the contending nations, and our 
brethren have returned to the more quiet, but not less re- 
sponsible, pursuit of their calling at home. With some of 
them, alas ! the pestilence, and other sad contingencies of 
war, have done their work as effectively as if they had been 
engaged in the hot contest on the battle-field. 
“ Sit vobis terra levis.” 
Our object in alluding to this at the onset of our address 
is, to urge some of our friends, who now must have leisure, 
to give to us an account of what was to them novel or inte- 
resting in connection with their profession when they were 
more actively engaged. Retrospects often prove profit- 
able ; and our pages have been, on the whole, very barren of 
information on this head. Only from two, or three at the 
most, have we received any communications whatever, al- 
though the field appeared to us to have been a most fruitful 
one, and promises were very abundant. These, we trust, 
will be now fulfilled. 
It was very encouraging to us to commence the past year 
with so goodly an array of new contributors. Our ex- 
pectations in this respect have been fully realised ; and it is 
gratifying to be able to record that, in this respect, there has 
been a steady increase. Still, in looking over the list, 
we perceive the absence of many names we should have 
much liked to have found there. We will not, however, 
despond; nor are we anxious to inquire into the reason of 
their absence, since we are not conscious of having done 
aught to forfeit their friendly feeling towards us ; but we will 
hope on until the time comes when they will be with us. Of 
this we are quite sure, their charity will not be like that of 
some persons, who, when the mendicant seeks alms of them, 
