4 
ADVICE TO VETERINARY STUDENTS. 
and acquaintance with the writings of such approved authors as 
hear upon the various branches of his professional pursuits. A 
good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, treasured up 
lor purposes that ennoble the present, and prepare for a future life. 
Reading is, indeed, most justly called the food of the mind; but, 
like food, it must be digested and assimilated. It must shew its 
nutritive power by promoting growth and strength, and by enabling 
the mind to bring forth sound and vigorous productions. A due 
degree of variety will tend greatly to render reading, agreeable, and 
also prevent any weariness ; but depend upon this most assured and 
certain truth, that the degree of profit as well as pleasure will ever 
be proportioned to the degree of attention. “The studies of litera- 
ture,” says Cicero, in a passage which can never be too often re- 
peated, “afford nourishment to our youth — delight our old age — 
adorn prosperity — supply a refuge in adversity — are a constant 
source of pleasure at home — are no impediment when abroad — 
attend us at the night season, and accompany us in our travels and 
retirement.” 
Our talented Professor of Chemistry, in his -introductory lecture 
of 1839, wisely remarks, “The knowledge of a veterinary surgeon 
is required to be more varied than it is at present, since he is without 
many of those aids which the medical man receives in the pursuit 
of his calling. His knowledge, therefore, should be even more ex- 
tensive than that of the human practitioner ; for he is more closely 
connected with agriculture, with the quality of the soil, and with 
the character and value of its most valuable productions.” 
The appointment of Mr. Morton to the professorship of a branch 
of science so indispensably necessary to the veterinary practitioner 
must be a great advantage to all desirous of attaining professional 
eminence; the very best path to which, I sincerely agree with 
him, is the cultivation of general knowledge; and I trust that I shall 
soon be able to congratulate the profession generally upon the de- 
cided advantage we may confidently hope from the addition of 
another professor on the diseases of cattle, and perhaps others still 
on various branches of collateral science ; and that those appoint- 
ments will be on each occasion conferred on men who will strive to 
arouse the dormant energies of their pupils to the inestimable value 
of that general knowledge and refinement of mind and manner, of 
which none better than themselves can fully estimate the benefit. 
Let us hope that a new era is now breaking around us, and that 
the recent appointment, and that which we hope will soon follow, 
may be the means of diffusing a taste and thirst for further advance- 
ment. Our hopes of the increasing usefulness and efficacy of our 
art will depend much on a more uniform extension of general in- 
formation through the whole of the profession. One medium of 
