ADDRESS. 
95 
cial end, and which, at the same time, will maintain them in 
a condition of readiness to meet the most urgent demands 
that may be made upon them. It is by this alone that effi- 
ciency is bestowed, which renders the struggle for advance- 
ment not fortuitous as regards the issue, while its possessor, 
moreover, can readily sustain himself in the elevated station 
to which he has been raised. Conjoined with uprightness 
and rectitude of conduct, the rewards are sure and permanent, 
for competency and usefulness are evidences of its possession. 
The superiority alluded to is essential to the pharmaceutist; 
without it, he can neither exercise his vocation with credit to 
himself, or with advantage to those dependant on him; it is 
understood to mean a thorough comprehension of every par- 
ticular relating to his art, a facility and readiness of applica- 
tion under all possible emergencies, and to this goal his un- 
tiring efforts must be directed. 
By tracing the history of Pharmacy trhough by-gone ages, 
and contrasting the conditions presented at different eras, we 
shall learn to appreciate the progress it has made. Here a 
close analogy will be found between it and other kindred 
sciences. From an examination of this kind, it will be per- 
ceived, that the supply of substances to be submitted to its 
manipulations has been greatly augmented, while the exacti- 
tude of these manipulations has been increased; that improve- 
ments have steadily been added, that accessions of every de- 
scription have uniformly poured in upon it, contributing to 
render it more complete. Ready ingenuity and fertile in- 
vention have been expended in its behalf, with the especial 
object of better adapting it to fulfil its offices; nor have they 
been exhausted ; endeavors having a similar tendency, are as 
energetically in operation, at the present time, as at any former 
period, and the same success attends them; to prove that 
such is the case, we need but refer to the announcement of 
new discoveries with which the numerous periodicals are 
teeming, and which each year brings into application. The 
pharmaceutist, therefore, cannot be stationary in his know- 
ledge; adequate as he may be to the transaction of his busi- 
