VETERINARY SURGERY. 
1G9 
nmong us could have expected; and one fact every page of his¬ 
tory confirms, that when concessions have begun to be made to 
the demands of increasing knowdedge, they will finally be bounded 
by the claims of justice and truth alone. In which way, then, 
could we best promote the cause of our profession ?—by continual 
agitation ? by exciting on the one hand unreasonable demands, 
and on the other unreasonable and obstinate opposition ? or by 
endeavouring to unite our brethren of every party in the pursuit 
of science? If veterinary knowledge continues to progress, ve¬ 
terinary instruction must keep pace with the improvement of the 
times.” Is there any ‘‘ raving incessantly” here—any expec¬ 
tation that abuses w^ere to be corrected the moment they wTre 
brought to light”—any ‘‘ annoyance by articles poured out, one 
after another, before any had time to operate”—any ma¬ 
lignancy^'’ here? 
And, once more, when, at the commencement of the year 
J833, having; added two valued names to our list of Editors 
(vol. vi, p. 101), we felt that there was a duty which, in point 
of courtesy, as well as in accordance with our own inclinations, 
and the interest of our work, and the advantage of the profession, 
we had to perform,—as a proof of our feeling that we had arrived 
at that desired point when controversy (ill-tempered controversy) 
might begin to cease among us; and, as the most satisfactory 
demonstration of our sincerity, an offer was made to include the 
name of Professor Coleman in our list of Editors. Was there 
annoyance, malignancy here ? 
We may, in the language of our friend, have endeavoured to 
maintain our course ”—we disclaim the term “ hostility ”— 
** with philosophic dignity, worthy of our avowed object;” but we 
have never been malignant. 
We may have expressed, as our author has done, strong 
feeling in strong language. We may have approached to the 
words that burn, with which he characterizes the conduct of the 
examinators (see p. 13); but where, from the first expose to the 
present number, have we been ‘‘ malignant?” 
The author confesses that w^e have succeeded in maintaining 
our philosophic dignity, and we thank him for this confession. 
We will not press him to reconcile this with other parts of his 
VOL. vm. 
A a 
