INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
817 
advance a theory worth the breath required to give the words 
utterance. Think for one moment, and ask yourselves how 
it can he possible for a mind to understand theories of phy¬ 
siology and pathology, or the laws that govern a science like 
chemistry, that has never been schooled to cope with the 
language of its nativity ? Think you, is it feasible that: the 
intellect of a person that has never been taxed, or only to a 
slight degree, with difficulties similar to the working of a 
rule of three sum, or the careful spelling of words, or the 
grammatical construction of sentences, will be capable of at 
once undertaking such labour as that of the study of the 
functions of nerves? of the decomposition which matter 
undergoes under peculiar circumstances ? or of the morbid 
changes that disease brings about in the healthy structures ? 
It would be just as reasonable to suppose that a muscle which 
has never been called into action would be at a moment’s 
notice capable of performing similar powerful movements to 
those which can be produced by a muscle that had been 
performing such movements, a sufficient length of time to 
enable it to attain a healthy and robust tone. No, rely upon 
it, the mind requires careful preparation for its great feats as 
certainly as the body for great exertion. But take another 
view of this important matter, in this our day, when the 
subject of education has the consideration of every one; 
when the worth of a man is gauged to no slight extent by the 
scholastic education he has received; would it, I will ask, 
be consistent on the part of those who are fostering our pro¬ 
fession if they did not make every effort, and bring to bear 
every available means to prevent persons entering its ranks 
who possessed not the capability of conversing in good 
English to their employers, or of inditing a respectable letter ? 
AVhat! certify to the world that a man has been taught and 
rendered efficient in an abstruse science, and that man in¬ 
capable of conversing in or writing correctly his mother 
tongue ? It is inconsistent. It was looking at the matter 
in this light that induced the governing body of this institu¬ 
tion, five years ago, to establish a matriculation examination; 
every pupil prior to being allowed to enter his name on the 
college hooks was examined in reading, writing, and arith¬ 
metic. It was the unanimous opinion at the time of this 
new introduction that, notwithstanding the great desirability 
of subjecting the pupil to a somewhat severe matriculation 
examination, that he should not only he efficient in the 
English language, hut be acquainted with the classics, the 
higher rules of arithmetic, and other branches of learning; 
however great, I say, the apparent benefits to be derived 
