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REMARKS ON “ A LECTURE 
the Lecture in question are all but copied verbatim from the first 
volume of the “ Physiological Anatomy and Physiology of Man,” 
by Todd and Bowman, and from “ The Principles of General and 
Comparative Physiology,” by Dr. Carpenter ; works which may 
not be in the hands of every veterinary surgeon : so that I shall 
select the parts to which I allude, and place them in juxta-position* 
with their originals, by which the reader will be enabled to judge 
whether or not I have sufficient grounds for making this exposure. 
The Lecture commences with the following paragraph : — page 201, 
of the Veterinary Record , vol. ii: — 
“To discover and comprehend the laws which control and regulate the 
universe is the aim of natural philosophy. But the vastness of the field of 
study and the diversity of the phenomena in connexion with it are far above 
the capacity of a single human mind; a division of labour in their investiga- 
tion has, therefore, been found not only convenient, but absolutely necessary. 
Thus, the various positions and movements of the planetary system have 
occupied astronomers ; the surface of the earth, the composition and situa- 
tion of its various strata, together with the treasures hidden within its womb, 
have employed geologists, chemists, and others interested in physical sci- 
ence; while the myriads of organized beings, whether animal or vegetable, 
that live in the air, dwell upon the land, or inhabit its rivers, lakes, seas, or 
vast oceans, are all so many objects for the investigation of the naturalist.” 
The introductory chapter of the work, entitled “ Physiological 
Anatomy and Physiology of Man,” commences thus : — 
“ The aim of all natural knowledge is to ascertain the laws which control 
and regulate the phenomena of the universe. So numerous and diversified 
are these phenomena, that a division of labour has been found not merely 
convenient, but absolutely necessary for the study of them. The position 
and movements of the planetary system, the crust of the earth, and its vari- 
ous component strata, the treasures hidden in its womb, the abundant vege- 
tation that grows upon its surface or beneath its waters, and the numberless 
hosts of animals that dwell upon the land, or in the rivers, lakes, and seas, 
form separate branches of scientific investigation,” & c. &c. 
The above is so very glaring, that any observation on my part 
is uncalled for ; I shall, therefore, pass on to pages 202 and 203 
of the Lecture, wherein this would-be- scientific writer, in speaking 
of the qualities or properties which distinguish the organic from 
the inorganic kingdoms of nature, says, — 
“ Wherever mineral substances exhibit definite figures , they are bounded 
by straight lines and angles, owing to the arrangement of the ultimate par- 
ticles of the mass, in obedience to laws, of a process called crystallization. 
This phenomenon results from the tendency of the molecules to arrange them- 
selves in a regular manner with respect to each other, and generally takes 
place with the utmost facility in most inorganic combinations, when placed 
in circumstances favourable to it. If, however, these circumstances are 
absent, another force, called simple adhesive attraction, comes into opera- 
tion, and then the form of the mass is indefinite or shapeless. In the or- 
* In consequence of the peculiar wording of the remarks introducing some 
of the extracts, we find ourselves unable to follow Mr. Hancock’s desired ar- 
rangement of placing the paragraphs side by side. — Printers. 
