776 
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
ruptions were occasionally witnessed at the botany class room 
of the Royal Veterinary College I was given to understand 
that such conduct would not for an instant be tolerated at 
the great republican establishment. To be sure, the French 
student is naturally polite, and it is therefore, perhaps, com¬ 
paratively easy for him to exercise the necessary self-restraint. 
That, however, does not lessen the offence here, and I 
sincerely hope I may never again have occasion to allude 
to it. 
Gentlemen, through good report and evil we shall con¬ 
tinue our anxious duties. Sooner or later the time must 
come when each one of us, in his turn, will exhibit frailties 
more or less common to humanity. Then, if you please, 
exercise forbearance in your criticisms. When that day 
arrives, it may possibly be remarked in your hearing that 
such and such a professor is, speaking figuratively, “ only fit 
for the knacker.” The observation may be just enough in 
itself, but you will do well to remember that, like some good 
old roadster, on whose case you may have recently pro¬ 
nounced, the professor himself was once young. Then it 
was that he did full justice to his curriculum and bore bravely 
the heat and burden of the day. Think of his past perform¬ 
ances. Honorably minded, he is sufficiently pained at the 
thought of not being able to accomplish all that he did in 
former times. You do not point the finger of scorn at Blair 
Athol because his market value is less than half what it was 
in his palmiest racing days. No ! let us be just towards one 
another. As with the teacher, so with the taught. Each 
one in a measure carves out his own career, but that career 
may be modified by circumstances over which he has no con¬ 
trol. Put your shoulder to the wheel; go forward; and 
whether life be short or long you will not fail to leave behind 
you a clearly defined record of usefulness. Assert your 
rights in hard cash, but do not allow the commercial spirit to 
mar the higher aspects of your calling. Strike for self- 
respect, and show by your manly attitude that you have a 
withering contempt for all forms of sycophancy and humbug. 
By all you hold dear to you avoid intemperance, but remem¬ 
ber that it is possible to be sober without becoming a down¬ 
right fanatic. Work, gentlemen, work ! “Work while it is 
day, for the night cometh,” when no toil can be performed. 
