TESTIMONIAL TO MR. PRITCHARD. 
55 
been come to by the committee at its several meetings. 
On this being clone, the chairman rose and spoke as follows : 
Gentlemen, —After the resolutions which you have heard 
read by the Secretary, I need scarcely inform you of the 
cause for which we are assembled here this evening; in them 
allusion has very properly been made to the nature of the 
motives which have actuated us in our proceedings. 
To perform the duty which your kindness has imposed 
upon me is an honour which I fully appreciate; at the same 
time I must confess you might have elected some one more 
competent to undertake such a position, yet I trust I shall 
be favoured with your indulgence, should I fail in expressing 
those feelings and sentiments which are now the chief occu¬ 
pants of your minds, and which, I am sure, you are anxious 
to give vent to; but, being prompted to duty by feelings of 
gratitude, it becomes a matter of extreme pleasure to me. 
Our minds were influenced by sentiments such as are 
excited only by long-continued, unassuming kindness and 
benevolence, and by the recollection of personal advantages, 
such as are derived from the exertions of one for the benefit 
of others. 
The heart of that man must indeed be cold who does not 
feel grateful for kindness, who does not endeavour to show, 
by his actions as well as by his words, the gratitude inspired 
by the sacrifices another has made for his sake. 
Gratitude is the most pleasing exercise of the mind; it is 
an incentive of human actions, and a feeling not only pos¬ 
sessed by the mind of man, but even by that of the brute 
creation. 
Gratitude is the natural impulse of a generous mind—one 
of the purest by which man is influenced; he who is so 
influenced, feels no greater pleasure than in acknowledging 
his high appreciation of it by returning kindness with 
esteem; it is a virtue easily to be accomplished, and is 
accompanied with much inward gratification and satisfaction. 
I am sure, and this present which I consider to be your 
acknowledgment serves to substantiate my remark; I say, 
I am sure that Mr. Pritchard’s professional career, and his 
kindness towards us personally, have been such as to w r orthily 
merit the connection of such sentiments as these with his 
name. 
We are, as students, greatly indebted to him as our 
teacher; yet it cannot be supposed that we can justly ap¬ 
preciate his talents in that capacity, therefore it is that this 
testimonial assumes the character of a mark of gratitude 
rather than one in admiration of his professional abilities, 
