26 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
posal was placed before us, that although difficulties might, 
nay, would present themselves, it was our duty, nevertheless, 
to combat them, and to show that, with all our deficiencies 
and imperfections, we might overcome them, if so be we 
obtained encouragement to go onward in our course. And 
this, happily, has not been withheld from us. 
All around and about us, at the present time, is por¬ 
tentous. Although much has been done, yet much remains 
to be done. We dare not be idle. Society heaves, as it were, 
with throes. It is therefore profitable to look back, and see 
what progress has been made. This will nerve us for con¬ 
tinuance in well-doing, or will give a salutary check if any 
deviation from the right course has taken place, for we la}' no 
claim to infallibility. All we ask is, that the same kind sup¬ 
port be still accorded us as hitherto we have received. We 
are as earnest and as solicitous as ever we were, nor are we 
apprehensive of being forsaken by our friends, their cause 
and interests and ours being identical. We are desirous that 
our Journal should not only be the exponent of the wishes of 
the profession, but, like a mirror, it should reflect 
“ The very age and body of the times, 
Its form and fashion.” 
• 
So that those who come after us may both derive profit from 
our labours and see the advances that were being made in 
this our day. 
Especially does the aspect of the times demonstrate the 
truth of the axiom, that “ Union is strength.” We see this 
proved in the associating together of individuals connected 
with a common calling for mutual support. Also in the 
many medical and scientific societies, the different Agricul¬ 
tural societies, the British Association for the advancement 
of General Science, as well as that of Social Science, with 
others too numerous to mention. x\ll these are so many 
proofs of the advantages derivable from union. Let it be 
seen, then, that we too have imbibed the like spirit. We 
have now become a sufficiently numerous body; but we fear 
that there still exists too much estrangement—to designate 
