MINUTES OP THE COLLEGE. 
79 
municated by the French Board, your Committee have been 
governed by the best lights afforded by their own experience 
and judgment. It cannot be deemed essential that the Com- 
mittee should here comment on the detail contained in the 
resolution which they propose to submit; but it is thought 
not altogether irrelevant to say a few words further in ex- 
planation of the course which it is proposed the Committee of 
Revision shall undertake, as well as one or two other consi- 
derations connected with the subject. 
This is the first labor of the kind undertaken by the Col- 
lege, and there is every reason to believe that it will be re- 
garded as a precedent by those who may succeed us in a 
similar duty, and that whatever course may be adopted now, 
will be regarded as an example worthy their imitation at least, 
if not absolutely imperative upon them. Let us, therefore, 
carefully examine and maturely decide upon what our course 
shall be, so that whatever importance our successors may 
attach to it, it shall, at least, deserve their respect as a model 
as perfect as we, without practised experience in revision, could 
have designed. Every step of our progress will hereafter "be 
narrowly scanned, and we, therefore, from the outset, are 
called upon to be accurate and circumspect. From the ap- 
pointment of our Committee, to the manner in which they 
shall proceed, the College of this day is responsible to those 
who may hereafter occupy the seats now filled by ourselves, 
and from a due sense of the responsibilities thus imposed, is 
the preparation of a code for the guidance of our Committee 
rendered the more imperative upon the College. So natu- 
rally and unconsciously in all cases do we look to our prede- 
cessors for advice and information, that we may reasonably 
anticipate such a retrospect and review of the early action of 
the College upon this subject, by the Committee who may be 
appointed, as will enable them to proceed knowingly and in- 
telligibly to the discharge of their duties. This reference to 
precedent is by no means reprehensible, or to be shunned; on 
the contrary, it arises from a proper respect for the experience 
and attainments of age and intelligence, and must therefore 
