OBITUARY—MR. JOHN FIELD. 
395 
veterinary anatomists of his day; and in after-life he turned this 
well to account in the numerous difficult and complicated 
operations which he performed. 
His diligence and his proficiency were so evident, that ere he 
had been at the College nine months, he had attracted the at¬ 
tention of Mr. Morecroft, who had been allied with Mr. Coleman 
as joint Professor of the Veterinary College ; and he quitted the 
College to become assistant to that gentleman, who then had an 
extensive establishment in Oxford Street; and ere the first twelve- 
month from his entrance at the College had expired, he appeared 
before the medical examiners (they were necessary then), and 
obtained his diploma. 
His connexion with Mr. Morecroft brought him into contact 
with many of the higher classes of society ; and in August 1794, 
he undertook a very difficult and complicated operation on a 
favourite animal belonging to their Majesties. He completely 
succeeded, and his reputation was, in a manner, established. 
He continued as assistant to Mr. Morecroft six years, and 
became so useful to him, and so identified with his connexion 
and practice, that that gentleman felt it to be his interest to re¬ 
ceive Mr. Field into partnership with him. 
That partnership existed during eight years with uninterrupted 
harmony ; and, in fact, the qualities of the partners were so ba¬ 
lanced and so opposed, that, with well constituted minds like 
theirs, good only could be the result. The scholastic education, 
and the tendency, yet a well-regulated one, to theoretical specu¬ 
lation in one, was well balanced by the sterling anatomical know¬ 
ledge and the straightforward practical course of the other; and 
they were friends as well as partners, and, in a manner, mono¬ 
polized the greater part of the business of the west end of the 
metropolis. 
In 1805, Mr. Field was appointed to the 2d Life Guards, and 
he held that situation for eight-and-twenty years, and until he 
died ; and in proof of the estimation in which he was held by the 
officers of his regiment, a request was forwarded to his family, 
that two of them might be permitted to attend his funeral, and 
Lieutenant Colonel Reed and Captain Williams followed as 
mourners. 
In 1808, even superior prospects opened to Mr. Morecroft in 
a distant clime; and the partnership, but not the friendship, be¬ 
tween these two excellent veterinarians was dissolved. 
Soon afterwards Mr. Field was appointed superintendent of 
the stud to the East India Company; and in the early part of 
July, in the same year, he received a warrant as farrier to the 
King, on the death of Mr. Spencer, and which situation he held 
