THE VETERINARIAN, DECEMBER \, 1831 . 
Ne quid falsi diccre audeat, ue quid veri non audeat.—C icero. 
We adopt the following letter as our leading article. It relates 
to that which we have long pondered in our minds, but we had 
always felt considerable difficulty in tracing the precise path 
which we w r ere to pursue. We have endeavoured to occupy high 
ground, and to identify ourselves with the respectability and im¬ 
provement of our profession, and we are somewhat jealous of the 
character of our periodical. It must not be degraded to a mere 
racing calendar. However, the natural history, the noble qualities, 
and the extraordinary performances of our domesticated quad¬ 
rupeds, will always be an interesting as well as useful subject, 
and will afford many excellent “ illustrations of veterinary science.” 
We will endeavour occasionally to blend a little more of the 
dulce with the utile; but we must be forgiven, if, even while we 
are attempting to amuse, we do not quite forget the end and 
purpose of The Veterinarian.—Edit. 
✓ _ 
To the Editors of u The Veterinarian 
Gentlemen, 
To such a pitch of perfection has the commercial and pro¬ 
fessional constitution of society risen, that it would puzzle the 
most worldly wise amongst us to strike out any new pursuit, 
either in the way of handicraft, trade, or science, which would 
not interfere or clash with, or, worse still, detract from, some one 
or more of the callings already in existence. In some few r in¬ 
stances these commercial and professional offsets have turned out 
not only to no advantage, but inconvenient and even hurtful: in 
others, and indeed in the majority of cases, they have proved very 
beneficial to society. In former times, the callings of the barber 
and surgeon were associated and practised by the same individual 
person. No one could dispute the eminent advantages that have 
resulted from their disjunction. Cut this has been succeeded by 
VOL. IV. . 5 B 
