650 
SITTINGS OF THE COUNCIL. 
of procedure was adopted, and embodied in a motion made by 
Mr. James Turner, “ that Dr. Mercer be again written to for a 
copy of the report he had sent to the Highland Society it was 
seconded by Mr. Arthur Cherry, and the Secretary was directed to 
write to Dr. Mercer, in accordance with the views adopted by the 
Council, the object being, that Dr. Mercer should have every op- 
portunity of explanation given to him prior to the matter coming 
before the Council for final consideration, as Dr. Mercer might be 
able to give such explanations as might materially alter the ap- 
pearance of the whole affair. 
Mr. May hew, on the part of Mr. Fores, the publisher, of Picca- 
dilly, applied for leave to dedicate a forthcoming work on the 
Teeth of the Horse to the President and Council of the Royal 
College of Veterinary Surgeons. Mr. Mayhew stated, that this 
application was made out of respect to the governing body of the 
now incorporated veterinary profession, that it was a work con- 
nected with the profession over which they presided, and that he 
could not see that any objection could be urged towards the re- 
fusal of the application. 
Mr. Cherry, sen., opposed the granting of the application upon 
two grounds ; first, that a dedication, in his mind, implied that 
those to whom a work was dedicated were acquainted with it, and 
were therefore answerable for the goodness of its contents ; se- 
condly, that if they, as a body, had the power of granting, they 
had also the power of refusing. He proceeded, in a manner pe- 
culiarly his own, to support his views; but all that could be 
gathered from them was, that the application should not be granted 
because that was asked for as a favour which could be done with- 
out any Leave being asked or obtained. 
Mr. Mayhew replied, that if all to whom works were dedicated 
had to be held answerable for the contents of such works, these 
parties would be in a very unenviable position. As an instance, 
he would mention a work called “ Kensington,” dedicated to her 
Majesty the Queen, which work was of the most obscene and im- 
moral nature ; yet such a work was dedicated to the Queen. Now, 
would any one suppose that her Majesty could know any thing of 
such a work as this ] and though the words, “ with permission,” 
made a dedication more particular, yet these words were just as 
often as the dedication itself used without any application whatever 
being made. 
Other members took very similar views ; and, as a matter of 
course, permission was granted, with thanks for the courtesy shewn 
by the application. 
A considerable share of time was occupied by the signing of 
cheques by the President, in the presence of members of Council, 
