230 LANCASHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
would lead to nothing but discord and enmity between the two 
institutions. Again, the bequest was left for the establishment of a 
veterinary school and its endowments, an establishment for the 
education of the pupil, to enable him to pass his final examinations, 
whether at the Board of Examiners of the Royal College sitting in 
Edinburgh, or the Board of the Highland Society, whichever it 
might please the candidate to present himself. Now, as long as 
the pupil can obtain the same diploma in Edinburgh that he can in 
London, it is all that is required. Then why want an independent 
Charter? They say, if there is but one diploma it would be an 
injustice to the Edinburgh College. This, I think, most of you will 
deny, inasmuch as the student from that college would just have the 
same chance as the students from any other college. And as for 
the one Charter closing the Edinburgh Veterinary College, my 
opinion is, that it will open the doors wider and wider every year 
as they advance with the times, and provide (which 1 understand 
they are doing) great temptations for students to go there, in the 
form of degrees, and extra courses of study, and greater means for 
the obtainment of all kinds of knowledge. Again, they are being 
ably assisted by the University of Edinburgh, which is a great step 
in the right direction, and if it is not followed very closely bv 
London, Edinburgh will get the palm, whether she has her own 
Charter or not. There is another great thing in her favour, and 
that is a very essential one, viz. it is cheaper living there, and when 
any one can get the same thing at a less cost, depend upon it they 
will do so. Therefore I say, to talk about the doors of the Edin¬ 
burgh school closing, it is simply absurd. In fact, I am sure the 
profession at large would never allow such a thing to take place if 
it was only to be kept open as a monument, and in affectionate 
remembrance of its great and good founder. 
It has been said that we want to have a monopoly in England ; 
this I deny most emphatically, and say that those gentlemen who 
have fought against the double Charter, and will fight again when 
required, have done their duty to the best of their ability and con¬ 
science, and I am sure had nothing but the welfare and prosperity 
of our profession at heart. 
The next matter I wish to bring before your notice is the “ forge,” 
and its relation to the profession. In touching upon this subject 
I know I am treading on delicate ground, upon which there is a 
great diversity of opinion. Though I do not know of a subject 
apertaining to our profession upon which there is not a great 
diversity of opinion, indeed it would puzzle any one to find such a 
thing. However, if we all agreed there would be no argument, so, 
perhaps. Pope is correct, who says,— 
“Whatever is, is right.” 
1 have been endeavouring for some time past to find out some 
argument why the forge should be separated from the profession, 
and I think 1 have succeeded to a certain extent, at least to my own 
satisfaction, and I hope for yours also. In the first place, I would 
