REVIEW — TRAVELS IN THE HIMALAYAN PROVINCES. 51 
the Liverpool infirmary, the attention of the physicians and sur- 
geons of that institution was suddenly and strongly called to a 
formidable epidemic disease amongst the horned cattle of a par- 
ticular district, and was thought to be extending. It was agreed 
to depute a pupil to examine the disease on the spot. The 
choice fell upon me, and in company with Mr. Wilson, the 
ablest farmer of the day, I performed my commission. As aris- 
ing out of this occurrence, it is only necessary to remark, that 
two gentlemen, of whose judgment and patriotism I had the 
highest respect, took the trouble of endeavouring to shew, that, if 
I were to devote myself to the improvement of a degraded profes- 
sion, closely connected with the interests of agriculture, I might 
render myself much more useful to the country than by continu- 
ing in one already cultivated by men of the most splendid talents. 
Convinced by their arguments, but opposed by other friends, and 
especially by my master, the matter was comprised by a reference 
to the celebrated John Hunter. After a long conversation with 
me, Mr. Hunter declared, that, if he were not advanced in years, 
he himself would begin to study the profession in question. This 
declaration was decisive, and I followed the course of study which 
Mr. Hunter was pleased to indicate. 
“ As there was no veterinary school in London at that time, 
Mr. Moorcroft went over to the continent, and resided for some 
period in France. On his return he settled in London, where, in 
conjunction with Mr. Field, he carried on for some years a very 
prosperous and lucrative concern. The nature of the profession, 
however, involved many occurrences unpleasant to a man of 
cultivated taste and warm temper, and amidst intercourse with 
persons of station and respectability, collision with individuals not 
always possessed of either. Mr. Moorcroft, therefore, became 
disgusted with his occupation, although he speedily realised a 
handsome property by it. A great portion of this, however, he 
lost in some injudicious project for manufacturing cast-iron horse- 
shoes ; and he readily, therefore, accepted an offer from the 
Court of Directors of the East India Company to go out to Ben- 
gal as superintendent of their military stud. He left England in 
May, 1808 , in the same fleet, though in a different ship, with 
the writer of this notice, who, when he occasionally saw Mr. 
Moorcroft during the voyage, when the vessels were near to each 
other, or on their touching at Madeira, little anticipated that he 
should ever become his biographer.” 
For further information relative to the object of our travellers, 
their route, the difficulties they had to overcome, their success, 
and the result, your readers must be referred to the work itself . 
It is a journal replete with information useful for all classes of the 
