THE VETERINARY SURGEONS. 203 
When the cheering had subsided, Mr. Coleman returned 
hanks: — 
Gentlemen (said he), I rise, as the Professor of the College, 
d return you my thanks for the honour you have done the insti- 
ution, and for the honour you have done me in proposing this 
oast; as well as for the manner in which you have received and 
Irunk it. I had the honour to be invited here to-day, and I felt 
t my duty, therefore, to come to meet my fellow-members in the 
eterinary art; my brethren, or rather, I should say, my chil- 
Iren [ turning , with a smile , towards some of the oldest mem - 
)ers]j although some of them be rather ancient children faugh- 
er] ; but, nevertheless, most of them, I believe, have done me 
he honour of attending my lectures. 
Gentlemen, I labour under the greatest obligation to my 
Dupils; almost every thing I possess I owe to them. I feel 
grateful: I detest ingratitude in others; and I should deserve to 
je detested myself, if I did not feel grateful. He who is un¬ 
grateful, needs no other crime. 
There are two questions which seem particularly to agitate the 
veterinary world. One of these relates to the non-admission ol 
veterinary surgeons into the medical committee ol the College; 
md the other, to the non-admission of veterinary surgeons as 
subscribers to the Veterinary College. These are two distinct 
questions : they are not connected with each other; and, there¬ 
fore, I shall beg leave to consider them separately: they are, 
however, questions of great importance. 
Now, gentlemen, although I do not think this is a proper time 
to enter into a discussion on subjects upon which we cannot 
come, or ought not to come, to any particular conclusion over 
the bottle, yet I beg leave to take rather a comprehensive view 
of them, and especially the first. 
When the Veterinary College was first established, it was 
considered that the pupils should be examined by the Professor, 
and by the Professor only;—that he should ascertain when they 
were qualified to practise the veterinary art. it was, however, 
afterwards thought to be more beneficial that this examination 
should be before medical teachers of eminence ; and it was then 
considered that it would be the best security the public could 
have for superior education, that the pupils should be examined 
also by the eminent teachers in anatomy, physiology, materia 
medica, and chemistry. It was considered that, in other vete¬ 
rinary colleges, and at all universities, they were examined by 
the professors themselves—by the professors only; and, 1 believe, 
that that is carried on at other veterinary colleges at this day. 
But it will probably be said, there arc many professors in those 
