EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
781 
has not yet been done we hope to see done, nevertheless 
much has been accomplished. It is something to be re¬ 
cognised as a professional body; and while there will ever 
be pretenders to our art, only let the conduct of each 
member be such as to give proof to his employer of the ad¬ 
vantages to be derived from the application of scientific 
principles, thus gainsaying the aspersions that are sometimes 
cast by the ignorant charlatan upon the man of education, 
who, guided by light and reason, pursues the even tenor of 
his way, knowing it to be correct, and we have no appre¬ 
hensions as to the result. In the end the anticipated goal 
must be reached by him, and he will have cause to triumph, 
though, perhaps, he may have laboured long and hard. Let 
“ nil desperandum” be his motto, and ever let him keep in 
view as the pole-star for his course of procedure scientific 
truth, and he cannot err. 
“ Ignorance is the curse of God, 
Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.” 
It is satisfactory to know that we are not standing still— 
not become as a stagnant pool, that sheds forth pestilential 
vapours, but are rather like a goodly river, which, having re¬ 
ceived many tributary streams, is in its course communi¬ 
cating fertility and life. As our numbers have increased, 
so has our usefulness, and the community being now per¬ 
vaded bv a consciousness of this, our worth is estimated : 
and this will ever be in proportion to the motives by which 
we are actuated. Well has it been said, “Motive is the spring 
of all mental action. God has framed us with the suscep¬ 
tibility to impressions from the outside world. We are 
affected, by considerations of interest or injury, towards 
good or towards evil. We are free: there can be no doubt 
about that ; but we are not independent of influences. We 
are, if we will to be, above the control of circumstances; but 
circumstances are not ineffective, pressing, as they do, 
upon us so closely, they are helpers to confirm us in the 
right, or tempters to lure us to the "wrong. We are not 
their vassals; they have no original power over us, like the 
power which a master affects over a slave. They are them¬ 
selves vassals to a higher Csesar, and pay tribute to the 
