684 
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
science has done in its development, reared upon its portal 
the old and vulgar adage, — ‘An ounce of practice is worth 
a ton of theory/ This wretched legend acted like a Gor- 
gon’s head, and turned to stone the aspirations of science. 
Believe it not ; for a grain of theory, if that be an expression 
for science, will, when planted, like the mustard- seed of the 
Scriptures, grow and wax into the greatest of trees.” Sound 
practice is theory rightly applied. Tact, and a readiness to 
act, are the results of experience. Think what you will, you 
may depend upon it that your employers will not be 
satisfied unless you can assign the " why and the wherefore” 
for what you have done, and it is science alone that will 
enable you to do this. 
And now, to bring this already too long a lecture' to a 
close. Let no over-weening opinion of your abilities cause 
you to become either presumptuous or careless. What thou 
hast, thou hast received, and it must be accounted for. 
Seneca has said — ee Many a man would have been a wise 
man if he had not thought himself already so : if he had 
known himself to have been a fool he would have become 
wise.” Another old writer quaintly remarks — “ If thou art 
puffed up, repine not if others prick thy swollen bladder with 
the pin of infamy.” Bely on it true wisdom is retiring and 
modest, while self-conceit is obtrusive, and being so, offensive, 
whatever may be the talents possessed by the individual. 
From the cradle to the tomb we are learners, if we are but 
sensible of our true state and condition as men ; and this 
will induce us rightly to employ our time. You may, per- 
haps, remember what one of the greatest intellects this 
country ever saw said on this subject. I allude to Sir Isaac 
Newton : “ I do not know what I appear to the world, but 
to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the 
sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a 
smoother pebble, or a prettier shell, than ordinary, whilst the 
great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Here 
was a consciousness of his inability to apprehend the great- 
ness and grandeur of the Creator’s works, expressed with the 
utmost modesty. 
It is no spirit of contentious rivalry that I am desirous 
of exciting among you, but one of laudable emulation — a de- 
sire to excel. Common to all of you are the means of ac- 
quiring information, and those of you who wisely avail 
yourselves of them may be compared to the bee, who gathers 
honey from the rose ; while those of you who do not. may be 
said to resemble the spider, who draws only poison from the 
same beautiful flower. 
