INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 
639 
years past been given to our service; in the excellent fruits 
of whose labours we have participated; who has left his pro¬ 
fession far richer than he found it; who has been a true 
friend to its members, whether old or young; and w r hose 
example has tended to raise a profession, the standing of 
which in public estimation, depends almost entirely upon 
the moral and social character of its members. Gentlemen, 
it is not without emotion that I can allude to the retirement 
of Professor Morton. 
It is, indeed, a ripe and a willing, and, for his own sake, 
perhaps, a wise retirement. It is worthy of him to enjoy in 
tranquillity the retrospect of an honorable and useful life, 
and I trust, long before the end, to seek promotion into the 
elder ranks of society and social friendship, unalloyed by the 
toils of scholastic duty. But, assuredly, none the less is his 
retirement an unavoidable regret to ns here. To me, per¬ 
sonally, it calls up a host of memories. We commenced 
together our career as teachers in this institution. Mr. Morton 
was the first who occupied the chair of Chemistry and Materia 
Medica in the College, and to him we are greatly indebted 
for the translation of these sciences to veterinary use. In¬ 
deed, we may truly say that he is the founder of the 
veterinary Materia Medica. Whenever the history of the 
progress of our profession shall be written, be it even in 
hundreds of years to come, the name of Morton will be 
found honorably inscribed on the tablets of our science. 
When we have all passed away, and the warmth of his heart 
is no longer known here, the works of his head will be reported 
and respected by Fame. 
Let me say, then, in supplement to this voice of our his- 
torv, that here Professor Morton has adorned his science 
w r ith an eloquence of a warm yet legitimate fancy, and that 
in him the voice of the gentleman has always been heard in 
our profession. I feel that I am your representative when 
I bid him “ All hail \” from the distance which now separates 
him from his former functions, and at the same time I 
express a hope that he may be spared to our affectionate 
friendship for many a long year to come, and enjoy, as a 
bright anticipation of the future, all the peace and happiness 
this world can afford. 
A kindred subject now suggests itself. Carried away by 
the thought of my noviciate pupils, I have said but little of 
the valued presence to-day of the senior members of our pro¬ 
fession. This is because I have spoken, as it were, from them 
to my youngest friends, their latest descendants. I am, 
however, glad to have their support here, and to find in the 
