PROFESSOR COLEMAN TO HIS PUPILS. 441 
some of the most modern works in chemistry, and they have also 
Mr. Morton, who is an excellent chemist, and whose lectures 
all should attend. He therefore hoped they would be more studi¬ 
ous on this point, as no one was more interested about them, or 
could feel greater pleasure than did his worthy friend. Sir Astley, 
that each "should pass his examination, provided he is indus¬ 
trious; and that conjoined with sobriety, as the society he must 
hold in his profession must be respectable, and therefore he must 
disclaim the low notions, and habits, and companions of the 
common farrier. 
“ There is also another branch, that is Materia Medica, which 
they should be thoroughly acquainted with ; for of what value 
can that piece of paper be to any of them, if they know at the 
same time their insufficiency to practise the veterinary art? while, 
at the same time, they are disgracing those gentlemen who have 
subscribed their names to their diploma. ‘ I therefore trust,’ he 
concluded, ‘that this will merit your due consideration, not wish¬ 
ing, in the least, to offend any of you, but being bound to remind 
you of that which may be for your essenlial good.’ 
« This was received with the loudest acclamations from all the 
pupils, who seemed much affected by this marked attention 
which he had so kindly manifested towards them. 
“ This will, no doubt, be considered as an imperfect summary; 
but it will serve to shew that our worthy Professor is ever and anon 
wishful to promote the advancement of the veterinary profession ; 
and I am glad to find that he has so far altered his opinion with 
regard to those who may be capable of practising ; for he states, 
in his introductory lecture, that these sons of Vulcan, 8cc. &c., 
will generally be found the most competent. Let me ask (al¬ 
though he has to-dav answered my question), can they rank in 
the associations of life with those of other professions? They 
would deteriorate that summit of perfection which the art is 
struggling to attain. I have no doubt that the time will come 
when men of talent and education will totally outstrip these com¬ 
petitors ; and I must say that we are indebted to the honourable 
gentlemen who wisely and kindly exercised their discretion in 
rejecting those whom they deemed incompetent. 
“ Before closing this communication, 1 will glance at another 
subject, which was hinted at in your valuable publication a short 
time a°-o. I refer to the operations of that institution, many of 
which'are done, as it were, in a clandestine manner. Instead of 
being publicly known to every pupil, and the operation performed 
in the presence of each individual, it is just confined to one or 
two of the favourites, or those who may luckily find themselves 
within the college walls ; and, should any of the patients die, the 
post-mortem examination is conducted in some such similar man- 
