ON THE VETEKINAKY EXAMINING COMMITTEE. 279 
examined and approved of the candidates, put themselves in a 
situation to pronounce men disqualified, who, in the opinion of the 
public, are well acquainted with practical veterinary knowledge ; 
and this is the knowledge in particular required by the veterinary 
committee. However, I am in hopes that both you and your father 
will be on that committee : at least, it shall not he my fault if either 
are excluded. 
I remain, as ever, your’s truly, 
E. Coleman. 
Wm. Percivall, Esq., V. S. 
Woolwich Barracks. 
Here you have Mr. Coleman’s expressed promise to exert him¬ 
self in our behalf. But there are two or three points in this letter 
which require some comment. “ Is it probable,” Mr. C. asks, 
“ that the candidates would consent to be examined by a committee 
which they believe to be incompetent?” In answer to which, I 
would put this question—Are Goodwin, Cherry, King, Field, 
Turner, Youatt, Karkeek, Spooner, incompetent persons ? Are these 
men’s approbation and sanction to be set at nought and despised? If 
so, why then let the pupils despise themselves for belonging to such 
a worthless, ignorant profession. Afterwards, Mr. C. says, ‘‘ Nei¬ 
ther would the committee who have previously examined and ap¬ 
proved of the candidates put themselves in a situation to pronounce 
men disqualified, who, in the opinion of the public, are well ac¬ 
quainted with practical veterinary knowledge.” This passage 
seems to have reference to a proposal that was formerly made, 
that there should be two committees—one veterinary, one medical: 
were a similar scheme proposed now, I, for my own part, should 
object to it, not only on the ground of unnecessarily submitting the 
pupil to the hardship of two separate examinations, but also for 
other reasons. It is the latter part of this passage of Mr. C.’s let¬ 
ter which is of the most value, and requires our greatest consider¬ 
ation. “ The opinion of the public” is, to a professional man, every 
thing; by it he lives and enriches himself in this world’s goods ; 
and it is this “ opinion of the public” which makes me, after ma¬ 
ture deliberation of the (piestion, think, that it would b(‘ more ad- 
