THE APPOINTMENT OF VETERINARY PROFESSORS. 79 
motive that shall be nameless, or perhaps worse even than that, no 
motive at all, that prompts you either to countenance or discoun¬ 
tenance the supplicant, as “ best seems meet to you ?” 
I fear this picture of an English medical election will bear but 
an ill comparison even with the French “ concours.” The latter 
is certainly not the most eligible and congenial mode of testing 
a man’s qualifications, it being an ordeal under w hich a “ younker 
fresh from school ” may outshine an experienced veteran; at the 
same time it is a mode of proceeding that shuts the door against 
ignorance and presumption, and that is more than can be said of 
the other. 
If you require further proof than this of the superiority of the 
French mode of electing medical officers and teachers in compari¬ 
son to our own, look at the French professors at public medical 
institutions, and then look at our own. Look at the French vete¬ 
rinary professors likewise, and look at our English ones. Will 
they bear a comparison? What have the former done for the 
science and for their schools; and what have we to thank our 
worthies for? Depend upon it, if this “ concours” were intro¬ 
duced into our elections in this country, even with u all its im¬ 
perfections on its head,” we should not long after (as our prospect 
seems now for years to come we shall) have to worship “ igno¬ 
rance and empiricism in the garb of science,” and be forced to 
acknowledge the shadow in the place where we ought to find the 
substance. In fine, in its present lamentable condition, one of the 
very best changes that could happen to the veterinary profession, 
in my humble opinion, w'ould be the establishment among us of 
the French “ concours.” Better, far better, had we look up to 
youth, the true and genuine scion of science, than have to behold 
grey hairs and ignorance usurping its place. 
Your obedient servant, 
Scrutator. 
INQUIRY CONCERNING THE ODII1AM 
VETERINARY LIBRARY. 
By V. S. 
London, January 16lh, 1832. 
Messrs. Editors, 
W 1 ll you have the kindness to inform me what has become of 
the “ excellent agricultural and professional library,” which we 
are informed by your correspondent Agricola was presented to 
the Veterinary College at its institution, by the Odiham Agricul¬ 
tural Society ( Or, should you be unable to afford me the re- 
