LETTER TO SIR ASTLEY COOPER. 
452 
into practice without any professional attestation of his qualifica¬ 
tions whatever. The governors, therefore, I repeat, said, We will 
form an examining committee, by admitting the eligibility of any 
persons who deliver or have delivered lectures on subjects con¬ 
nected WITH the veterinary art.^’ Did not a candid unbiassed 
inquiry into the origin of this law satisfy one of its plain and 
honest interpretation, I might direct your attention to the very 
wording of it— connected with the veterinary art”—in further 
confirmation of the truth of what I am now urging. 
Now, Sir Astley, that we have got thus far with our disquisi¬ 
tion, I am going to request a small favour of you ; and that is, 
that you will put the question to yourself y whether you ought 
to countenance the revival of such a law ?—a law by circum¬ 
stances rendered obsolete;—a law that by contortion and wilful 
misinterpretation alone can be .applied to us at the present day ;— 
a law that must, after all, fail in effecting what those who revised 
it have evidently in design, viz. absolute and unconditional exclu¬ 
sion of us, inasmuch as it is one, as I observed in the former part 
of my letter, that any ignoramus, or any blackguard might 
conform with, and yet remain as unfit as ever to become an 
examiner.” If, on asking yourself this question, you feel a re¬ 
sponsive Yes,” I will lay down my pen, to resume it no more 
in such a mistaken cause; but whilst your worthy and excellent 
heart beats in opposition, as I feel certain it must, to what you 
are here doing, purely, I believe, through friendship y so long shall 
I feel it my duty, respectfully, but firmly, to reason and remon¬ 
strate with you. 
I find, on perusing the Report* again, the following remark of 
the committee, affixed to the tail of the law: ”—And the 
committee do not consider that any alter?.tion of this law is at 
present necessary.” Do you know. Sir Astley, that I have a 
strange conceit that this dear redeeming adverb was inserted by 
you. I am sure you are at heart the veterinarian’s friend. 
Methinks, while the report was penning, that you felt a little mis¬ 
giving—a passing twitch or two about the scrobiculus cordisy and 
that you ran instantly to the secretary, and begged the interposi¬ 
tion of the precious saving clause— at present necessaiy.” 
Cheer up, my brethren: our case is not so hopeless as we had 
imagined. 
But, let me ask you. Sir Astley, why not at present 1 here 
or what are the objections or obstacles? We have at this present 
day many individuals among us (and I proclaim it with profes¬ 
sional pride, and will at any time throw down my gauntlet as 
their champion), who, although not Sir Astleys in point of emi- 
* Contuincd in Nos. 6 and 7 of ‘‘ The VEiEf; akian.’^ 
