214 TESTIMONIAL TO ASSIST.-PROFESSOR VARNELL. 
colleagues, towards whom no opportunity should be lost by 
us for expressing our esteem. 
But to return to that gentleman to whom we especially 
render the present well-earned tribute of honour and respect — 
Professor Varnell. I am sure you will, without a solitary 
exception, allow him to be a thorough master of the science 
of anatomy, the efficient teaching of which is of such para¬ 
mount importance, forming as it does the only solid basis of 
our future acquirements. You will also admit, that our debt 
of gratitude to him is not lessened by his affable and com¬ 
prehensive manner of explaining and simplifying those appa¬ 
rent complexities of symptoms, which would otherwise 
bewilder us, when attending him during his clinical observa¬ 
tions upon the different cases of disease in the infirmary. 
Moreover, we have great cause to congratulate ourselves, 
that we have through him another most important channel 
open to us for deriving practical knowledge, consisting in the 
numerous horses submitted to him for examination as to 
soundness; by availing ourselves of which advantage our 
competency in after-life may be materially promoted. 
His unquestioned ability in these several sections of our 
science must have been, from the individual experience of 
each of you, brought home to your minds in a manner far 
more vividly than I can hope to accomplish by any attempt 
to find words for such a purpose. 
Gentlemen,—I have it in my heart to say much more, in 
praise of him whom it is now our delight to honour. It would 
be an easy task to expatiate upon his merits, for they are so 
numerous—indeed, they constitute a subject difficult to ex¬ 
haust—but I feel assured that his quick discernment has 
already enabled .him to divine, by our demeanour towards 
him upon all occasions, the silent emotions of admiration 
which have long been culminating within our breasts, and 
now find vent upon this most happy occasion ; and I fear that 
if I attempted more than I have already given expression to, he 
would deem me insincere, and charge me with flattery ; there¬ 
fore I will not trespass further upon your patience nor his. 
And now, sir, with unfeigned gratification and pleasure, I 
tender, on behalf of my brother students, this token of our 
esteem, which we offer for your acceptance, noton account of 
its intrinsic worth, but as an earnest evidence of our recog¬ 
nition of your admirable qualities, which have not only 
excited our admiration, but awakened the sincerest feelings 
towards you. And, believe me, sir, when personally, and in 
the name of my fellow students, I humbly pray that our all 
merciful God may long spare you to advance and prosper in 
