LECTURES ON CHEMISTRY. 751 
harvest will be the reward of our united labours in this division of 
the field of veterinary science. 
Happily, on entering upon that section of your studies in 
which it is my duty and privilege to offer you assistance, no 
lengthened exordium is called for. Well-turned periods and cor- 
rectly chosen and euphonious words are both alike unnecessary. 
A simple and ungarnished statement of facts — the inculcation of 
the principles of a science fraught with interest, and of incalcula- 
ble value in its application, and to you especially of the highest 
importance in after-life — is all I have to lay before you. 
Sensibly do I feel the weight of the responsibility that attaches 
itself to my vocation ; but my best endeavours shall be made 
satisfactorily to acquit myself, and I trust that, at the close of the 
session, we shall have cause to say that we have been somewhat 
profitted by our labours. 
It is the seeming misfortune of all the sciences to abound 
with technicalities — peculiar terms employed to express certain 
things ; and although these have been spoken against by many, 
the fact is, that terms thus employed, and which are chosen from 
the dead languages, are often both more explicit and shorter than 
those which could be supplied from most of the living ones. In ad- 
dition to this, there must be taken into account a circumstance that 
appears to be too often forgotten — that there is not a business 
or a trade which has not its peculiar terms; and with these it is 
necessary for the learner to become acquainted before he can be 
considered proficient in his calling. Why, then, should the 
sciences be exempt? 
As I am not required to expatiate on the advantages derivable 
from general knowledge, I proceed at once to observe, that the 
modes by which information is communicated to the mind are 
many ; but among them there is, perhaps, none so pleasing, and 
certainly none more impressive, than an attendance on lectures. 
This form of conveying instruction appears to have been 
practised from the very earliest periods. The antient Jews sat while 
teaching; and many sects among the Greeks derived their names 
from the custom adopted by them while orally explaining their 
doctrines to their disciples, as the Peripatetics ; while others 
assumed the name of those whose philosophic views they favoured, 
as the Platonists, the Epicureans, and others. 
Now, it may be asked by the student whether, since lecturers 
obtain by far the greater amount of their knowledge from books, 
and by the same means often communicate what they know, 
whether reading would not answer all the purpose ? The reply is 
in the negative, and for these reasons: — here I quote in part, but 
the opinions are in strict consonance with my own. 
