INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
671 
as sometimes they will, perplexing it, study and reason over 
the matter until they are dissipated and the truth is arrived 
at. Thus acting, the mental powers will become invigorated, 
and being once directed in the right way, they go on acquiring- 
increased strength with exertion, like the body ; while mis- 
takes that may sometimes be made at the beginning often 
result in correct conclusions by their awakening fresh investi- 
gations. A doubt has been defined to be, an action of the 
inquiring mind ; and certain it is that he who never doubts 
thinks but little. What is written, then, is not always to be 
received without inquiry as to its correctness, but is to be 
weighed and deliberately examined by you. You have a 
right to judge for yourselves, provided you are conversant 
with the matter treated of, otherwise you must receive the 
statements laid down with deference, and a belief in their 
truthfulness. Books are helpers and guides to your under- 
standing, not dictators. Yet are they not to be despised, for 
it has been well remarked, “ they correct private judgment, 
fill up the gaps of our personal acquisitions, and indicate 
new courses of observation. If they are suffered to aid and 
not warp the judgment, they are of immense utility. A 
man through them takes his predecessors into counsel: he 
sits on equal terms with Hunter and Harvey, and Newton 
and Galen, and Plato, and argues the matter without 
restraint. He does not veil his eyes before the great philo- 
sopher; but reading hard and critically, seems to say, ( soul 
for soul, mine is as good as thine ; what hast thou to say 
about this that I cannot understand V The modest man 
becomes defiant in his closet, and in silence vindicates the 
equal divinity of his nature. ( Go to, 1 will wrestle with 
thee,’ is the thought working within him ; and he does not 
quit the struggle until he can come off with the gay heart of 
a champion. Books are the granaries of wisdom, into which 
each man throws his sheaf of thoughts. In due season the 
seed is winnowed and resown to produce a fresh crop, which 
is being eternally garnered and renewed.” 
I need not enumerate the several works you will have to 
consult, this having been done so frequently before. You will 
find them all in the library belonging to The Veterinary Medical 
Association , to which you have an easy access ; while the 
advantages to be derived from themutual instruction afforded 
during the debates at the weekly meetings of that body, 
are too obvious to call for any comment or recommen- 
dation. 
Yet are there some books wanted to complete the series, 
and I would that they too should emanate from this institution. 
