6.26 
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
the more its value will be appreciated, clearly showing 
that in itself veterinary science contains all the elements of 
success as well as usefulness. I cannot resist in this place 
recalling to your memories the observations of 11 is Royal 
Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief, on the occasion 
of his honouring us by his presence at the annual dinner of 
the profession : “ I assure you,’ 5 said His Royal Highness, 
iC that I know the value of the profession with which most of 
you are connected. As regards the army it is of the greatest 
possible service. In my position in the army I have had the 
advantage of becoming acquainted with many members of 
your profession, and I am glad to see several old friends of 
mine here to-day. I entertain for them the highest opinion, 
and duly appreciate the importance of their services. I have 
seen them perform those services with the greatest possible 
credit to themselves in times of peace ; lately I have wit- 
nessed their performance of them with cheerfulness and zeal, 
and under great difficulties, in time of war. I therefore feel 
deeply interested in your profession, and. I trust that the 
college in honour of whose president we have met this 
evening may continue to prosper and to extend its useful- 
ness from year to year.” Here, gentlemen, is enough, nay 
more than enough, to rouse you to action, and to call forth 
your daily exertions while in the pursuit of knowledge within 
this institution. It is during your pupilage that the founda- 
tion for success must be laid : therefore, if time be misspent, 
if idleness take the place of industry, or self-sufficiency of a 
desire to profit by the instruction which is afforded you, you 
will be like him c who buildeth his house upon the sand. 5 
1 have already spoken of the claims which were put upon 
our profession by the war; and 1 allude to the subject again 
for the purpose of observing that had that unhappy state of 
things continued, it is more than prob#>le that some modi- 
fication of the curriculum of your studies, especially in that 
which relates to pathology, would have been made. But are 
these claims now the less? No, rather, as we have said, they 
are increased ; and, erelong, additions to your education will 
be made in order that these may be satisfied. In the mean 
time let us give heed to the things which are, and endeavour 
to turn them to a profitable account. 
So well acquainted are most of you with the course of the 
instruction which is carried out in this institution, that it is 
almost a work of supererogation to allude to it ; but I must 
follow former precedents and time-honoured customs, and 
say that your studies embrace the anatomy, physiology, 
and pathology of domesticated animals in general, with che- 
