292 
the pharmaceutical journal and transactions. 
[October 8, 1870. 
tion. In the meantime, local effort lias done some¬ 
thing ; and it is gratifying to know that in several 
provincial centres courses of study similar in kind to 
that pursued in this school, and very good in quality, 
are at this moment in operation; classes of anxious, 
hopeful, curious students are mustering for fresh 
sessions, there as here, and are equally expecting the 
revelation of good tilings. Bear with me then when 
I say that it is with these and with the less fortunate 
ones still, who have yet to long and wait in patience, 
that my first sympathies lie, and for whom I would 
spend the chief of my voluntary labours. 
But it would be strange if, with such a sentence 
on my lip, my heart could fail to find a word of wel¬ 
come for others also,—for all indeed who have the 
mind to estimate the value of scientific culture, and 
the pluck to make the effort for its attainment. I 
said I envied the students of this school. By tliis 
was meant, not that I begrudged them one particle 
of the good fortune they are enabled to enjoy, but 
that I sighed to think so few, comparatively speak¬ 
ing, could grasp the fine opportunities this school 
affords. No, my only words to-night shall be, as I 
would wish them ever to be to all my fellow-students, 
words of heartiest congratulation. 
So, then, most warmly, most heartily I congratu¬ 
late you, my fellow-students, that you have deter¬ 
mined, for yourselves at least, life shall not lose its 
greatest joy; that, although some around you select 
the husks of life, and pretend to be content there¬ 
with,—nay, try to persuade themselves and others 
that husk is the chief object of the plant’s whole 
growth, and runs no risk of being trodden down at 
last of swine,—you have resolved that all tins is 
specious and false; that you will look straight into 
truth itself, will pierce the husk, will grasp the seed 
and plant it anew in fair and cultivated soil, there 
to take root, grow and bring forth good fruit. Are 
not all who have so resolved indeed to be congratu¬ 
lated? They have touched the great law of univer¬ 
sal Continuity, than which nothing can be nobler, 
“Be fruitful all;” and from henceforth a healthy 
unrest, a longing to fulfil a higher work urges their 
lives onward, upward. I said life’s greatest joy; 
can one greater be hoped for man than that he 
should humbly attempt to fulfil his great Maker’s 
purpose ? 
But the resolve is not quite all. There is no 
need surely to quote the many well-known words of 
wisdom you have learned upon tliis point. 
. Were I to begin with “ Hell is paved with good 
intentions,” and quote on till I gave you the parable 
of the seed that fell on stony places, I should but 
remind you of temptations of which you already 
know. I hint at them only because they give me 
giounds for further congratulations, for you are 
about to surround your good resolves with condi¬ 
tions the most favourable for their sustentation. 
these are the enthusiasm of numbers associated 
m n common object,—the influence of method and 
methodical training—and personal contact with able 
and earnest teachers. These are very potent agen¬ 
cies, and are worth a moment’s thought. 
The mind of the young man is, as you know, in the 
ver y °f ffs ardour; the enthusiasm of youth is 
pioveibial, and not only constitutes one of its greatest 
charms, but is one of its real powers also; yet, per- 
haps in a greater degree than is the case with most 
of the attributes of poor humanity, it is erratic 
prone to change and prone to languish Let its 
emotions, however, have been but originally genuine, 
and the contagious influence of another’s constancy’ 
aided by the warm breath of friendly encouragement 
and friendly rivalry, is almost sure to fan the°fading 
spark to a flame again. Depend upon it each can 
do much to help his comrade’s constancy, very much 
to sustain the general gaze upon the general purpose. 
To the same end also works that grand abstrac¬ 
tion, method. Of all the qualities essential to the 
fair cultivation of that which is called mind, me¬ 
thod appears to me to stand the first. Shall I 
therefore venture to say one word for the more general 
cultivation of mathematical studies amongst our 
younger pharmacists ? From this place have been 
heard frequent and eloquent utterances in praise of 
classical culture; I willingly endorse them. It is 
not perhaps the special direction of my own taste, 
but I recognize its value, and appreciate the pains 
that others bestow upon it. Moreover, I am aware 
that in one direction at least it is essential to the 
proper fulfilment of our professional duties. But 
mathematics, which is indeed method, should, it 
seems to me, precede all special studies, or, at any 
rate, should accompany them side by side. The 
processes of mental and of corporeal development in 
many respects resemble each other; mind as well 
as body requires both food and exercise for its proper 
growth; the mere pouring in of meat and drink 
does not necessarily develope a healthy and vigorous 
frame; good wholesome exercise is needed for the 
double purpose of carrying every proper food-atom 
in streams of vital power to its appointed place, and 
for removing all that is superfluous, used up and 
baneful. What judicious exercise is to the body the 
science of method is to the mind; it assorts and 
arranges all its mental pabulum, and exalts to the 
utmost its powers of assimilation. It would per¬ 
haps be difficult to conceive of a mind, properly 
so-called, utterly and entirely uneducated in method, 
but one in which this quality is fully cultivated 
starts for the attainment of any branch of know¬ 
ledge at a wonderful advantage over another not 
so tutored; even such indeed as the trained gla¬ 
diator would possess over the peaceful citizen in 
a contest of physical. strength. True, that in the 
patient study of a science such as chemistry, with 
all its inherent logic and its splendid mathematical 
developments, the pupil, almost despite his pre¬ 
vious habit of mind, becomes imperceptibly edu¬ 
cated in the law of method, and. in proportion 
as tliis occurs he reaps for himself a double re¬ 
ward. But he has much to overcome, much lee¬ 
way to make good before he can compete with his 
better-equipped rival, who has brought to the task 
an organization of power so complete that from the 
very first step each new fact as it is revealed, with 
all its attendant bearings, drops at once into its 
proper and appointed place, for ever after a veritable 
portion of his being. 
I have been led to these remarks, which may to 
some appear unnecessary, from having more than 
once met with professed students of chemistry who 
were evidently ignorant even of the essential nature 
of an equation; and I hope, should there be any 
amongst those I am addressing whose attention has 
not hitherto been enlisted in these studies, they will 
make every effort to supply the omission, so that 
they may reap the fullest advantages of the metho¬ 
dically-conveyed instruction that will be presented 
to them. 
