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THE VETERINARY ART IN INDIA. 
coveries in natural philosophy is certainly extensive, and promises 
a rich harvest of highly interesting acquisitions ; but this proceeds 
from the oblivion with which it has been observed, and the per- 
plexed and erroneous systems which had r^isled the world. It is 
by our having at length found the true path to nature, that its 
novelty, grandeur, and simplicity, sometimes flush the mind, 
and carry it to extravagant lengths. Thus discovering some of 
properties of matter, and that it obeyed certain laws by which it 
was always performing functions that could never destroy it, 
they infer that reason, and the intellectual operations, are but a 
finer combination of matter, which, escaping with life, occupy 
some other place in the grand elaboratory of nature, or that 
“ There’s nought but one eternal flux 
Of feeble essences, tumultuous driv’n. 
Thro’ time’s rough billows, into night’s abyss.” 
The dangerous tendency of such principles must be conspi- 
cuous ; and it is to be hoped that some able men will demonstrate 
to the world the folly and temerity of such conclusions, and 
shew, in strong colours, that the same power which gave motion 
and property to matter, can and will, at the appointed hour, 
render it inert. 
Ere I conclude, I beg to advance a few circumstances in apo- 
logy. I should never have presumed to conceive that my present 
writings could be useful, had any publication on the subject 
existed ; and my intention will be fully answered if the present 
work but leads to some future regulations that will convey 
benefit to the public, and relief to the animal. 
On my arrival in this country, I v/as but little prepared for an 
undertaking of this kind ; and which I may hope will still farther 
plead in extenuation of errors. The whole of it was written, with 
the exception of the chapter of diseases of the eyes, in less -than 
four months, amidst the confusion and inconveniencies attached 
to a camp in almost continual motion, where my constitution 
suffered from the effects of climate so much as to render my 
return to my country indispensably necessary. I am well aware 
these excuses are far from being satisfactory, as I was not limited 
to time, whatever I might be as to place. I can, therefore, 
only urge, that I rely on the liberality of those who so generously 
encouraged me to undertake it. 
Very fortunately, the subject is such as will admit of many 
excuses as to diction. An elegant assortment and combination of 
words on such a subject is neither expected or required ; and I 
regret I cannot plead the same as to correctness of style. One of 
my first wishes was, to divest myself of every technical term, and 
express myself in a manner to be generally understood : this I 
