612 
THE YOUATT TESTIMONIAL. 
possible that, possessed of such advantages, they are to be placed with the 
babies of the London school? Tell me why? Tell me, what you pretend to 
teach them here that they have not had an opportunity of knowing, and for 
which you would exact an attendance of eighteen months ? Is it your diploma ? 
Why, f have, I think, succeeded in rendering that a matter of little inducement 
for such an attendance, because my journey to London has been, in some 
measure, to get the pupils of both schools placed on an equal footing : and 
I think I have succeeded, and a neutral person will be appointed Principal 
Veterinary Surgeon, in the room of Mr. Coleman. I have thus removed one 
of the inducements to attend the London School. 
But, Sir, I can further state, that the illiberality of the London School has 
already begun to meet its own reward, and the first effect of the regulation in 
question has been to deprive its funds of twenty guineas. Within these three 
weeks, one of my pupils who would have come to the London College, has, 
in consequence of this arrangement, gone elsewhere ; and such will be the 
course that others will pursue, so long as the present regulation exists. WTien 
there is no inducement, there will be few found to take so long a journey, and 
put themselves to so much expense. 
Allow me also to allude to another subject which has been referred to — the 
onerous duties which will devolve upon the new Assistant Professor, — the la- 
bour of teaching the anatomy and physiology of the different subjects entrusted 
to his care. I am sorry I cannot agree with you, Sir, on this point, because, 
with some experience, I contend that the various animals under our care 
being formed and constructed by the Author of Nature on one general plan, 
the analogy that exists will rather serve to assist than retard the examination 
of the various subjects. In the skeleton, for example, is there not a strong 
general resemblance ? Look at the lungs ; are they not similarly arranged ? 
With regard to their mechanism, are not their functions alike ? — are they not 
made up of cartilaginous tubes composed of imperfect rings, and vessels, and 
nerves, and membranes similarly arranged ? — and is it unreasonable to expect 
that analogous diseases will attack similar structures performing similar 
functions, and that similar treatment under disease will be required ? But 
your time will not permit me to enlarge, and I therefore conclude by again 
thanking you for the honour you have done me by drinking my health. 
Mr. Simonds then claimed the attention of the Chairman. 
The toast (said he) to which I am about to call your attention, is one that 
I feel confident will be met by a hearty response. It is the “ Prosperity of the 
English Agricultural Society.” To speak of the noble deeds of such an Asso- 
ciation, I could have wished had been entrusted to some more able person, 
and I must, therefore, claim your kind indulgence while I attempt to do some 
justice to the subject. This Society, composed of most of the greatest men 
of which England can boast, looked anxiously around it, at its first formation, 
to discover in what way the interests and onward progress of agriculture could 
best be promoted. Among many other things which were most desirable, was 
a security against the heavy losses annually sustained by farmers, from the ra- 
vages of disease among their cattle, and it was resolved “ to take measures for 
the improvement of the veterinary art, as applied to cattle, sheep, and pigs.” 
A sub-committee was appointed to carry into effect this desirable object. 
Although an individual ox or sheep cannot be said to equal the horse in pe- 
cuniary value, still we must bear in mind that, collectively, they constitute by 
far the larger amount of the property of the agriculturist, and from some cause, 
but of which I will not now speak, this large amount of property was, so far 
as our art is concerned, totally neglected : nay, the matter was worse than 
this, for encouragement was given to men to practise in every way that 
ignorance might dictate, and thus to torture, and frequently to destroy, these 
valuable animals when labouring under disease. 
