362 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
congratulated the profession on its success. Why did it fail? 
Because the Council — on the receipt of a very business-like 
letter from Professor Dick, in which he stated “ that when 
a distinct proposal was made to him, he would lay it before 
the Directors of the Highland and Agricultural Society” — 
went off at a tangent, and declined to confirm its former re- 
solutions. Thus, at one and the same time a great injustice 
was perpetrated towards the pupils, and the golden oppor- 
tunity of effecting a union of the profession lost, and which 
we fear will not return for many a day. We would not, 
however, deny that our friends in the North have required 
more formal proceedings on the part of the Council to effect 
the desired end, than it is wont to give to its general trans- 
actions, and, probably, more than they would have asked for, 
had a spirit of peace pervaded their actions throughout. 
We do not, however, advance this in extenuation of the 
Council, but as an argument to show that if it is the true 
representative of the profession, and alive to its best inter- 
ests, then it should not take umbrage at little things, but 
labour early and late “ through evil report and good report,” 
to accomplish the great end of its own existence. The 
President, doubtless, felt this, when, in acknowledging the 
vote of thanks unanimously accorded him for the attention 
he had given to the interests of the college, and the liberality 
he had displayed during his two years of office, he said, “ I 
really do not know what is to be done if your next president 
cannot bring into the field more influence than I have suc- 
ceeded in doing, and be thus enabled to secure a larger 
attendance at this meeting, which is the true rallying, point of 
the profession.” 
The same sentiments, also, pervaded the minds of most 
of those who were present at the dinner in the evening, and 
one whom we regard as being likely soon to fill the presi- 
dential chair, remarked, — “ this is a meagre affair, either as an 
effort at unity, or to keep up the importance of the profession; 
and I hope it will go forth to the world that, with few' ex- 
ceptions, w 7 e meet in diminished numbers year by year.” 
We write in no censorious or unfriendly spirit, our object 
