512 ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, CIREN’CESTER. 
of the kind. Various schools of agriculture had been tried in different 
parts, but they had either failed or had not been what the college was 
intended to be, a truly national institution. The Royal Agricultural 
College had attained a very important position, and he could not refrain 
from expressing his profound regret that it was not now in the hands of 
those gentlemen who were the original founders—in the hands of the 
shareholders who had established it. He had great respect for numbers, 
and he believed that “ in the multitude of councillors there is wisdom.” 
Among the shareholders there was a sufficient number of qualified men to 
administer the affairs of the college with prudence. lie would endeavour 
to pay all honour and respect to those gentlemen who, when the college 
was in difficulties, had come forward and found the means of continuing it. 
He admitted the importance of this step, but at the same time he deeply 
regretted the necessity for it. The college had not been, up to that time, 
so well supported by the farmers as it ought to have been, and he must 
be permitted to say, that farmers twenty years ago were not so well edu¬ 
cated as they now are. The college, notwithstanding that it had been 
opposed by what were called practical men, had made a progress with 
which its friends had every reason to be satisfied. Professor Coleman, 
he believed, was of opinion that the practice of agriculture was better 
learnt in the farm than in the college; but it was necessary that we 
should have the farm as well as the college. A lad learnt best the rudi¬ 
ments, and a man learns best from practice. Teach the one what ought 
to be done, and leave the other to inquire how it is to be done. The 
professor then went on to speak of the relation of veterinary science to 
agriculture, and he referred at some length to the importation of live 
stock from abroad, bringing with it epidemic diseases, which caused im¬ 
mense havoc on English farms. Before the importations were allowed, 
many of the diseases were little known, but our flocks and herds would 
continue to suffer from them so long as our import laws are unchanged. 
He spoke of the ravages made last year in AViltshire by the smallpox in 
sheep, and the steps w.hich were taken to arrest its progress, which were 
very successful. He stated, as his firm conviction, that when that disease 
made its appearance among English flocks, it had always been imported 
from abroad, and so communicated. He said it remained for him to 
express to the company his profound appreciation of their extreme kind¬ 
ness, but which was only what he had received at their hands ever since 
he came to the college. He observed that it was from no pecuniary 
reasons that he had stayed so long at the college, nor was it the wish of 
his friends that he should do so. But he liked the place, and it gave him 
an opportunity for minute investigation, which he might not otherwise 
have enjoyed. If everything had gone quite pleasant, he should very 
likely have remained there for ever (cheers). 
The Chairman said he now came to the health of Professor Coleman 
(loud and long-continued cheers). The professor was the first student 
at this college, and if he had shown ability and fitness for his position, he 
had begun to learn it here (cheers). He learnt it in the college, and he 
had gone into the fields and practised it in various parts of England. The 
best days of the college farm had been under his administration (loud 
cheers.) 
Professor Coleman said no language he could utter would iu the least 
degree give expression to his feelings on this occasion, or express his 
thanks for the manner in which they had received the toast of his health, 
or in which their worthy chairman had proposed it. They were previ¬ 
ously aware that their chairman was a man of energy and action. They 
now knew that he was a poet, and occasionally dealt in the ideal and in 
