December 2,1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
453 
able soldier ; overlooking the most important part of his 
training,—the education of his limbs to prompt and easy 
obedience to command. Our limbs, too, require educa¬ 
tion ; we need line upon lino, and personal experience in 
the old proverb that practice makes perfect. Wo were 
not born chemists and druggists; we become such by 
training. The young child is prompted to eat by appe¬ 
tite for food, and to walk from desire to lay hold on what 
is not within its reach; yet to perform these acts re¬ 
spectably, it has to repeat them countless times. The 
child has to discover by practice the uses of association 
in its body. It has to accustom each tendon and muscle 
to respond in harmony with every other to the mandates 
of its will, before it can with ease and pleasure acquit 
itself of the simplest exercise. IIow evident is it, then, 
that, to arrive at dexterity in our art, we should educate 
our bodies to the duties we impose on them. The com¬ 
mon expression that some men have more sense in their 
little finger than others have in their whole body, is not 
inapt, and illustrates what 1 wish to impress. To this 
end 1 would say, let the eye accompany the hand. He 
who leaves his hand without the guidance of his eye 
consigns himself to work in perpetual twilight and cancels 
his title to success. Proficiency in manipulation once 
secured, labour becomes a pleasure, and occupation rest. 
And now, to turn from physical training to mental 
culture, I have just two thoughts to set before you,— 
patience and directness; the one says, hold on and wait; 
the other says, do not wander. To achieve success no¬ 
thing can compensate for work; not the best opportu¬ 
nities nor the brightest genius. Ability is mainly the 
faculty to endure. Ho who is accustomed to patient and 
steady application is the man of ability ; is the man who, 
with an object once clearly before him, will persevere 
until he grasps it. It is to be regretted that power of 
mental endurance is not more generally trained than it 
is; so much is “ready done ” now in our day-schools to 
save brain-work, that most young men have to learn 
what mental application means when they should be 
availing themselves of its practical advantages. There 
is no faculty of the mind more capable of education, on 
the one hand, and more dependent on education on the 
other, than the faculty of sustaining effort. What gym¬ 
nastics can do for your limbs, this training can do for 
your wits. Avoid desultoriness ; you can scarcely meet 
a greater foe. The very diversity of our occupations 
almost tempts to this weakness; but, on the other hand, 
it affords sufficient variety to dispose you to directness 
in application to study. Do not use many books ; you 
have not time for them, and they will only divide your 
thoughts,—one thing at a time, and that one thing do 
well. You are engaged in a trade or business, as well 
as giving yourself to study, so digest a few well-chosen 
books, that they will put you further on ; and do not lose 
time over every bit of “ printed matter ” that falls in 
your way; you might as well set yourself to talk with 
every person you meet. We cannot each excel in every 
department; it would not be natural for us to be all 
alike. Let those who have special aptitudes make these 
the recreation of their study, and so save strength for 
those subjects that might otherwise be their victors. 
Thus cherish patience and directness in application to 
work and to study, and there will be left no place for 
doubt; true ability will be yours. So nature ever prompts 
us to industry and economy; it knows neither slumber nor 
waste. The life of organisms and affinities is ever vigi¬ 
lant towards opportunity for construction ; cellular and 
crystalline forms set before us alike lessons of activity 
and appropriation in the materials we handle every day. 
In closing these remarks allow me, with all deference 
and consideration, to add, that as a most important 
collateral to success,—Beware of and shun any vice as a 
blight that would destroy all good and noble aspiration, 
and would sow in your heart the, poison seeds of dis¬ 
regard for what is pure and true. 
As much as crystals, whether of the square prismatic 
or of the doubly oblique systems, owe their forms to the 
forces within that attract around their nuclei in direc¬ 
tions peculiar to each, so individual character grows 
into what it becomes by the inner life that actuates it. 
We have briefly reviewed association as affecting 
national life,—as inducing commercial, scientific, and 
benevolent organizations. We have noted some of the 
incentives to association, such as the migratory tendencies 
of our day, that these and other enterprises affect us. 
We have observed what association might be expected 
to do for us, what it is doing, and how it may do more; 
how students unitedly seeking knowledge for themselves 
confer advantages on their companions. We have 
noticed the importance of provincial arrangements for 
pharmaceutical education. We have seen some of the 
causes for the establishment of examinations, their 
reasonableness and consequent motives to preparation 
for them ; the mental qualities and bodily training that 
our business requires, with a few hints on the education 
of the limbs, the head, the heart. 
Surrounded as we are by energies effecting important 
changes in the condition and expectations of men, it is 
for us, associated though we may bo, to bear in mind 
that each one, consciously or unconsciously, receives of 
and gives something to the character that the age wears. 
So, like every particle of the material world on which 
falls the light of heaven, returns the ray suited to its 
capacity, contributes its share to the whole landscape,— 
may we with like truth respond to the influences that 
can best enable us to fulfil the object of our being. 
Mr. Smeeton then read a paper on “Early Closing 
and Prices.” He alluded to the acknowledged diffi¬ 
culties attending the discussion of these subjects, arising 
from the varying conditions under which different busi¬ 
nesses were conducted. But he expressed a decided 
opinion that chemists and druggists, both master and 
man, worked too long and too late, and charged too 
little for it. He thought that an improvement in the 
hours of business would only be effected by each indi¬ 
vidual acting for himself, without too much reference to 
the conduct of others. With regard to their charges, 
they had been stationary while all other prices had in¬ 
creased. Twelve months ago a price-book had been com¬ 
piled. In Leeds it has worked very well. Some have 
not kept to it, but all have found the good of it. It only 
wanted the addition, which was hinted at, but never abso¬ 
lutely insisted upon, namely, that every prescription, 
should be marked by the first who dispensed it, and then, 
we should not have any disparity of prices. It was 
assumed that the tariff price was charged, but he did not 
think that exceptional prices, whether higher or lower, 
were always marked. There were several copies left, and 
it was proposed to supply them at 2>d. each, which would 
make them so cheap that they would be worth buying 
as a useful memorandum, even by apprentices and 
assistants for their own use. 
At the close of the paper, Mr. Smeeton proposed a re¬ 
solution, “ That this meeting desires to express its strong 
conviction that our hours of business are needlessly long, 
and urges upon the chemists of Leeds the propriety of 
closing their shops at an earlier hour.” 
Mr. Holmes had pleasure in seconding the resolution. 
He quite agreed with Mr. Smeeton, and had already 
given practical effect to his thoughts by closing at 7 r.M. 
with the exception of Saturday, when he closed at 
10 P.M. 
Mr. Jefferson (Vice-President) hoped every one pre¬ 
sent would carefully consider the questions introduced 
in the last paper. It was very desirable that there 
should be more unanimity; and he thought, had early 
closing been the rule of to-day, they would pi’obably lia\ e 
had some present this evening who were with them m 
spirit but not in person. He had pleasure in support¬ 
ing the resolution. . 
Mr. Longfield felt the subject of early closing was 
