HUNTERIAN ORATION. 
209 
value. It is also to be regretted, that so many works issue from 
the press with the pretensions of experience which contain but 
little or nothing to support such a pretension ; the chief objects 
of such works are to be found in the large characters of their 
title-pages, or in the announcements intended to bring them and 
their authors from merited obscurity. Most of these have no 
influence in promoting the march of improvement, but, on the 
contrary, prove direct impediments to advance, and are injurious 
diversions from those objects of study which are really worthy 
of regard. They consume our time and waste our money, 
while they cumber our shelves and literature with unnecessary 
repetitions. These observations apply to a section. Fortu¬ 
nately, another section more worthy of respect, comprises authors 
who, trained under the influence of the Hunterian school, and 
having received inspirations of Hunter’s genius, have sent forth 
productions deserving our highest commendation, bearing upon 
them deeply impressed internal evidence of great sagacity, in¬ 
dustry, and extensive research, with those other characteristics 
which mark them as important steps in our onward healthful 
progress. These, while they eminently conduce to the benefit 
of the professions, serve as honourable memorials of the dis¬ 
tinguished persons from whom they emanate. 
Mr. Luke considered it beyond the limits of his mission to 
particularize, while these leading members of the profession 
were still with us; but he could not allow the opportunity 
which the occasion afforded of paying a passing tribute of respect 
to an amiable man who had retired from the college during the 
past year. That tribute, said the orator, is due most appro¬ 
priately to him, when speaking of those works of merit which 
emanate from their authors with no vain-glorious pretensions, 
or seeking after ephemeral popularity; for these motives to 
action our late respected colleague repudiated as repugnant to 
his own sense of right. Those who knew Mr. Vincent’s high 
qualifications as a practical surgeon, knew also with what 
reluctance he presented himself before the public as an author. 
Under whatever influence that reluctance arose, the effect was 
to defer the publication of the results of his observations until 
a matured experience, through a long and useful career of prac¬ 
tical benevolence, enabled him to speak with that authority and 
weight which both became his position and commanded the 
respectful attention of his contemporaries. Mr. Luke again 
alluded to the necessity for a sound preliminary education in 
gentlemen intended for the medical profession, and stated that 
the council of the college, in order to diminish, if not to remove, 
adverse influences of the description alluded to in the commence¬ 
ment of the oration, had instituted examinations in classical 
VOL. XXV. F f 
