300 
MISCELLANEA. 
doing, not only confer a boon upon myself, but upon the pupils 
also. You will oblige me by inserting the few lines I have sent 
you, as you will, I am sure, appreciate the motive ; viz. to stimu- 
late the pupils to act and think as men, not as boys just out of 
their apron-strings. Once upon a time — I think it was in the month 
of March, in the year 1847 — after having been at the Royal Vete- 
rinary College from ten A.M. until five P.M., I strolled home. Having 
taken some refreshment, and seated myself in an easy chair before 
the fire, its congenial warmth lulled me to sleep. I had a dream ; 
it was as follows : — I was suddenly transported to the lecture-room 
of the Royal Veterinary College, where I found assembled, from 
imaginative inquiries, a mixture of Englishmen, Irishmen, Scotch- 
men, and Welchmen. Their hideous noises, ribaldry, scoffing, 
jeering, and jesting epithets, made use of, met my ear. Suddenly a 
change came o’er the spirit of my dream : I fancied that I was 
located in the dissecting-room of that famed Institution ; and what 
a dissecting-room fancy whispered ! In that department I myself 
was dissecting, was engaged in study, imagination pourtraying 
that I was, by so doing, laying the foundation for future pro- 
fessional acquirements ; when, upon a sudden, something caught 
my pallid cheek, and, lo and behold, it was a piece of muscle that 
had been hurled by some boy ; and, as the vision became more 
distinct, I beheld a congeries of them. I remonstrated, and 
the consequence was a pugilistic encounter, amidst the confusion 
of which I awoke. Upon reflection, methought what I had seen 
and heard was more befitting a cockpit congregation than that of 
men in pursuit of professional knowledge and instruction ; and 
surely, thought I to myself, the Professors cannot be aware of such 
pupillary conduct, or otherwise they would take ways and means 
to prevent such disgraceful procedure ; for they must be aware that 
it is utterly impossible to profit by dissection, if pupils are allowed 
to be interrupted and insulted, by pieces of muscle, plaster of the 
wall, or coal, coming in collision with their faces, or some other 
part of their body, collectively with the obscene language made use 
of in lieu of professional disquisition. I think it, Sir, a duty in- 
cumbent upon the Professors to repress such disreputable proceed- 
ings — not only on their own account — not only as a protection to 
those students who wish to make the best use of their time whilst 
at the College, — not only for the sake of the Institution itself, but 
for the credit of the profession generally. 
Hoping the Professors will take means to cause a reformation, 
Believe me, your’s truly, 
Etudiant. 
