650 
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE. 
of obtaining the social position of bis ambition, and of 
acrpiiring the necessaries of life for the support of him¬ 
self, and probably also of others dependent upon him. It is 
therefore to be hoped that you, gentlemen, have weighed 
seriously and well all the evidence you could collect for and 
against the profession you have chosen before you resolved 
upon enlisting yourselves into its ranks; and rest assured 
that success, even in a moderate degree, will not be yours 
unless you are prepared for hard and steady work, likewise 
to combat with and overcome many difficulties and disap¬ 
pointments from which no calling is free, and which must 
be experienced to be appreciated. 
Presuming that you have given the choice of a profession 
the serious consideration it demands, I may now observe 
that, although my direct experience of the veterinary art and 
its practitioners only extends over a period of three years, 
still I have already seen quite enough of both to enable me 
to congratulate you on your selection. 
I congratulate you for many reasons; chiefiy, however, 
because I feel that veterinary or comparative medicine, if 
rightly and intelligently pursued, is excelled by few other oc¬ 
cupations in interest and variety; because many of its teach¬ 
ings often maybe, and in fact are, of actual practical service 
to the higher calling of human medicine, and therefore to 
suffering mankind; and because it will be your mission—I 
may say your noble mission—to spend your lives in endea¬ 
vouring to alleviate the bodily sufferings of a class of living 
beings which, if not in possession of the loftier attributes of 
man, neverthless demand our kind and considerate care and 
attention, from their occupying a position but slightly in¬ 
ferior to him in utility and importance among the myriads 
of creatures with which Nature has populated our planet. 
Doubtless, then, it will be a matter of considerable satisfac¬ 
tion to you to know that, among other advantages in the 
performance of your professional duties, you will be enabled 
to foster one of man's noblest and best qualities—a humane 
disposition. 
That the pursuit of veterinary medicine possesses this 
great advantage I am convinced; and I am pleased to have 
this opportunity of testifying to the kind, indeed affectionate 
manner, in which the veterinary surgeons with whom I have 
had the pleasure of becoming acquainted treat the animals 
committed to their charge; in fact, no human being could 
receive greater attention than is bestowed by these gentle¬ 
men upon their poor dumb patients. Furthermore, it seems 
to me you do well in adopting a young and rising profession 
