52 
LEARNING AND LITERATURE. 
Long hours versus small remuneration is the stereotype complaint which 
finds its expression sometimes in ignorant, commonplace vituperation; some¬ 
times in phrases of fantastic bitterness; but sometimes also, and the oftenest, in 
the language of intelligent and deep regret. It would ill become us not to put 
the most liberal construction on all such animadversions; the pressure of stern 
facts would more than justify lamentations that in the abstract might be consi¬ 
dered exaggerated and overcharged. 
Thoughtful men, having the interests of Pharmacy at heart, have neither 
been ignorant of, nor have withheld their active sympathy from this acknow¬ 
ledged and unquestionable evil. 
But the dream of the most enthusiastic philanthropy was tempered by the 
knowledge that great difficulties stood like a lion in the way. In the first place, 
it was felt that the wisest generalities could never meet individual wants. 
Secondly, it was a known truth that men, to a large extent, must be left to 
regulate their own affairs, and will brook no seeming interference. Thirdly, 
from the ills incident to pharmacy must be sifted out those which belong to 
humanity in general, and are simply part of the order of the good providence 
of God. 
Still, the fact that all could not be accomplished offered no reasonable excuse 
that therefore nothing should be attempted; and this great problem imperatively 
claimed attention,—What shall be done to raise English pharmacy ? what best 
method shall be adopted to render such an occupation more worthy of pursuit ? 
In truth it was high time that some adventurous spirits should become the 
pioneers of a reform, for things had culminated to their worst. 
While half the world were slumbering in their beds, down went the dreary 
shutters of the druggist’s shop ; and hours after half the world had quietly gone 
home, his red lights, like danger signals, were still glowing in the windows. 
I have no wish to harp upon the grievances of the druggist’s life, but at least 
it may be said that its actual condition afforded strong temptation to the young 
apprentice to accept the first possible chance of forsaking his intended calling. 
Wisely, we think, was the problem solved by the determination on the part 
of our Society to link learning and literature to trade,—a design visionary in its 
first aspect, yet the profoundest practical wisdom. Let not the phrase be mis¬ 
understood by being narrowed; in its application. Learning;—that is, not the 
mere routine of a scholastic training, however excellent in itself, but learning in 
its truest sense, the absolute personal possession of that acquired knowledge 
which shall thoroughly qualify a man for his position, of which literature is the 
inevitable sequence. 
It was, indeed, a bold experiment, and open to serious ^misconstruction, espe- 
ially in the minds of those whose range of thought is limited, and who enter¬ 
tain a constitutional dread of the transcendental. 
Now that the scheme has stood the test of time, we are in a position to form 
a just estimate of the sound judgment of our predecessors. They aimed at 
great essentials and left minor details to arrange themselves, knowing that hav¬ 
ing once created skilled and well-qualified pharmaceutists, the whole range of 
trade pharmacy would necessarily reap the advantage. In our own immediate 
day we can scarcely estimate the courage that was involved in the adoption of 
this scheme,—it savoured then too much of theory. Now, its correctness has 
received the living proof of a great and influential association, wliich not only 
has marvellously promoted Pharmacy as a science, but by a reflex though not 
an unforeseen influence has brightened and elevated the social position of the 
pharmaceutist. And yet the doctrine that Learning might be linked to Trade 
with no injury to the latter, and that Literature might lend direct assistance to 
Commercial interests was never more fully recognized or more strongly advo¬ 
cated than by the Founders of our Society before the charter was obtained, nor 
