92 
VETE[UNARY MEETINUS AND TRANSACTIONvS* 
and physiology of t/ie horse : it was absolutely indispensable, 
if we would ever require a clear conception of the nature and 
character and treatment of disease. He spoke of him who was 
ignorant of scientific principles as sailing without compass, 
and without light; traversing a sea filled with rocks and quick¬ 
sands, which threatened him with destruction every moment : 
while he who possessed the light of knowledge, and was guided 
by the index of truth, might not only safely and joyously ex¬ 
plore every beauty, and possess himself of every desirable ob¬ 
ject to be found on his native coast, but might launch boldly 
out on the ocean of experimental research, and perchance dis¬ 
cover some new continent of science, rich with inexhaustible 
treasures. 
Next, the chairman proposed the health of Professor Cole¬ 
man.” He thought that he knew a little about this gentleman, 
for be had been acquainted with him some short time—four or 
five-and-forty years, or thereabouts, — and their friendship had 
never been broken or weakened during the whole of that period. 
He was sorry to see his old friend out of spirits to-night, and 
still more sorry for the cause of it. (The chairman alluded to 
the serious indisposition of Mrs. Coleman.) 
Mr. Coleman had early distinguished himself by the variety 
and accuracy of his physiological researches, and bad published 
a treatise on asphyxia which did him infinite credit. When St, 
Bel died, Mr. Coleman was selected as his successor; not for 
that profundity of anatomical knowledge which would enable 
him to discover, as some one had fancied he had done, nerves in 
the grey hairs of his father’s old wig, but for a spirit of phy¬ 
siological inquiry, and the accuracy of his deductions from the 
various experiments he had instituted. He had carried the 
same spirit of inquiry to the study of the horse, and the veteri¬ 
nary pupil and veterinary science had been incalculably in¬ 
debted to him. The profession might be said to be indebted to 
him, and to him aloney for the rank it held in public estimation ; 
for it was the commission which he procured for regimental 
veterinary surgeons which proved their passport, and, for many 
a long year, the only one they could have to the highest society 
in the country. 
Mr. Coleman, evidently labouring under deep impression, 
acknowledged that he was dispirited ; indeed, that he had 
doubted whether he should have summoned sufficient resolution 
to have appeared among his friends ; and he did not think that 
he should have come, had it not been for the solicitations of the 
beloved invalid, who assured him that she should be far happier 
when she knew that lie was mingling with friends among whom 
