532 
TESTIMONIAL TO PROFESSOR MORTON. 
twenty-first. (Cheers.) And among those presents have been a goodly 
amount of silver articles. Now an old bachelor does not want many of 
these things; the ladies want them more ! (Laughter.) Still they are 
very agreeable when possessed. Now as I happen to possess them, and 
reflecting upon the kind present made to me by you, in 1844, of a silver 
tea and coffee service, I thought a salver to carry that service would be 
somewhat appropriate. But, in addition to it, you have been pleased to 
give me a purse, containing 135 guineas! so that it has, indeed, assumed 
“ a substantial form.” Then with regard to the manner in which it has 
been done. I have only to look round upon the present assembly, to see 
abundant proof of the kindly feeling that has actuated you, many of you 
having come from almost the extreme points of England to confer this 
honour upon me. But I must advert, for a moment, to individuals ; and I 
will commence with my old and sincere friend, your President. Had the 
whole profession been passed before me, no member of it could have been 
more acceptable to me than he who fills the chair on this occasion. 
I was early indebted to him ; for, at the outset of my career in the College, 
he undertook to perform the duties of the office which I filled, for a short 
time, until I was able to perform them myself. Then as respects your 
Secretary, I can only say it affords me the highest gratification to 
remember that he was once a resident pupil of mine; so that he is 
more intimately acquainted with me than many others of you are. I 
have no doubt he knows some of my Tailings too, and remembers how 
often I neglected doing that which I ought to have done. But, besides 
him, there are several of my resident pupils here, and it gives me the 
greatest gratification to be enabled to address them upon this occasion, 
because I know they will forgive and forget all my remissnesses. In this 
way it is, supported by the large number of names which are appended 
to a document I saw just now, that this liberal testimonial has been got 
up. I have now only to refer to another, and almost as interesting a 
circumstance, which took place not long since at the College, when the 
students thereof, before returning to their homes, presented me with a 
very handsome memorial, acknowledging the benefit they had derived 
from my instructions. These two testimonials, gentlemen, I shall bear 
with me into private life. They will ever be to me sources of considerable 
gratification; they will awaken reminiscences of a highly pleasing cha¬ 
racter, and serve indelibly to impress upon my mind those sentiments of 
your esteem and regard which otherwise might, perhaps, have been 
through time somewhat weakened—I dare not say forgotten. 
I must, however, draw these lengthened remarks to a close. I have en¬ 
deavoured freely to express my sentiments to you on this occasion. I have 
not said all that I was desirous of saying, nor in the way, perhaps, it ought 
to have been said; but I have given vent to my feelings, nearly as they 
have arisen in my mind. That I have had to do battle with a few of the 
difficulties of life, will have been gathered from the statements I have 
made. They have, however, been but few as compared with many others; 
still, I can say with Longfellow— 
“ I have had my trials. Time has laid his hand 
Upon my heart; gently, not smiting it; 
But as a harper lays his palm 
Upon his harp to deaden its vibrations.” 
I have been maimed in your cause, and grown gray in it; and I am 
now contented to leave my place to a younger and a better man, for I 
would not have it said— 
“ Superfluous lags the veteran on the stage.” 
