ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 4 77 
the science of practical politics has been effected, the repre¬ 
sentative scheme which enables States of any extent to enjoy 
popular government, and allows mixed monarchy to be es¬ 
tablished, combining freedom with order—a plan pronounced 
by the statesmen and writers of antiquity to be of hardly 
possible formation, and wholly impossible continuance. The 
globe itself, as well as the science of its inhabitants, has been 
explored according to the law which forbids a sudden and 
rapid leaping forward, and decrees that each successive step, 
prepared by the last, shall facilitate the next. Even 
Columbus followed several successful discoverers on a small 
scale; and is by some believed to have had, unknown to 
him, a predecessor in the great exploit by which he pierced 
the night of ages, and unfolded a new world to the eyes of 
the old. The arts afford no exception to the general law. 
Demosthenes had eminent forerunners, Pericles the last. 
Homer must have had predecessors of great merit, though, 
doubtless, as far surpassed by him, as Fra Bartolomeo and 
Pietro Perugino were by Michael Angelo and Raphael. 
Dante owed much to Virgil; he may be allowed to have 
owed, through his Latin mentor, not a little to the old 
Grecian; and Milton had both the orators and the poets of 
the ancient world for his predecessors and his masters.” 
ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
SPECIAL MEETING, July 7 , 1859. 
The President, W. Burley, Esq., in the chair. 
Present: —Professors Spooner, Simonds, Morton, and 
Varnell; Messrs. Field, Robinson, Ernes, Pritchard, 
Dickens, Silvester, Legrew, Helmore, Moon, Withers, 
Stockley, Cheesman, and Braby. 
The President , in a feeling address, stated that the meeting 
was convened in consequence of the severe indisposition of 
their Secretary, which he sincerely hoped was only of a tem¬ 
porary character, and trusted that the Council would adopt 
