CONOLLY • S LECTURES.
THE perusal of these Lectures gives additional cause for bitter re- gret that their author, owing to any cause whatever, should have been removed from a large sphere of metropolitan usefulness, to the comparative insignificance of a country practice. Our consolation is, that the energies of a man of Dr. CoNoLLy's stamp are not to be controlled either by town or townspeople ; and that, unless by his own will (of which we see no indications), he must continue to be an invaluable member of the scientific medical world.
Until we read these Lectures, we confess we were not prepared to find so high a tone, so liberal and enlightened a spirit, and above all such truly philosophical habits of mind, in a practising physi- cian of the present day, known at least to fame. Happy were the students of the University in such a guide ; for, as well as we can judge, such a tutor was not only likely to lead to sound and safe- notions in medicine, but to virtue and honour, peace and good name. These lectures are as moral as they are medical ; and prove a favourite notion of our own, that in true science, there is all the spirit of courtesy, of honour, of perfect gentlemanliness;. and that though a man may be a successful applier of expedients, a good quack, a clever manipulator, a shrewd guesser, without these qualities, yet that whenever any real science is approached' with the humility, the perseverance, the love of truth, the allowance. for error, which a perfect success implies, then the moral effect on the character must be profound, lasting, and elevating. A truly philosophic state of mind is inconsistent with all the banes of life : falsehood, malignity, spitefulness, excessive vanity or wilfulness, are all utterly inconsistent with its conditions; and, like the infu- sion of a chemical test, instantly make that turbid which before emulated the spring in pellucid clearness.
Were we to extract all the passages in this little work that have given us unfeigned pleasure, we should leave nothing behind.- The following specimen we take rather because it is from the leavetaking lecture,. than for any much better reason.
To promote such a systeM of medical education as would lead to the more diligent investigation of disease—to a more scrupulous inquiry into the proper- ties of medicines—to a more profound consideration of diseased actions—a sys- tem which would discountenance all those wretched and often-witnessed at- tempts to create mere surprise, and all the devices of those who look upon medi- cine as a mere trade—has ,been, I firmly believe, the constant aim of my col- leagues in this University. I consider it an honour to have been associated with them in such an undertaking, because I am sure it is one which will ultimately produce very extensive public benefit ; and therefore it is that I do feel some concern that my power of promoting such beneficial changes, and of. contributing to advance the dignity of medical science, must necessarily, by my retirement
contributing a conspicuous situation in the profession, be materially
diminished. I leave the task, however, in able bands ; and whatever attempts are made will be assisted, at least, by one powerful auxiliary, ever active, ever in progress, ever tending towards great ends—I mean by public opinion ; which points, with steady finger, towards all those reforms to which I have thus hastily, alluded. Let it, however, be remembered, that these ends cannot be accomplished by monopolies, by exclusions, and by affronts put upon men of learning and science acquired in unrecognized schools; nor by perpetuating the hasty preparation now made for most serious duties: but by more time being devoted to study; and, by new arrangements, making the study of physic a source of honour to all engaged in it. Then will those attainments which, amidst many disadvantages, so many. physicians and general practitioners now make with labour and pre- serve with difficulty, become the common objects of professional emulation ; and, the School of London will become, as it ought to be in such a capital ant in' such a country, the first school of medicine in the world. That, during my short career as a public teacher, I should have had so many gentlemen for my. pupils whose general attainments, as well as their attention to their professional studies, give the best assurance of their future respectability, usefulness, and even eminence, is an honour of which I am certainly extremely. sensible. The interest which they have appeared to take in the lectures which it has been in duty to deliver here, has been highly gratifying to me. I shall never hear of them, and especially of their advancement and distinction, with indifference. The diligence which so many of you have evinced I fully appreciate; for I well know the many anxieties that often weigh upon the student's mind. I appre-. ciate, to its full extent, the ardour, the patience, the unabated industry, which triumphs over these and all other obstacles. There are no years to which you- will probably look back with more .satisfaction than your years of study ; and if, in such a retrospect of the honourable labours which. led (as, in your in- stance, I sincerely trust they will) to success in your profession, I should ever be thought of as one who communicated some useful knowledge to you, and, above all things, feared to mislead you by imposing delusions, then, Gentlemen, will the moderate and just ambition which alone I feel be amply satisfied. Many of you are now about to leave the schools, and to commence practices If I may add to what I have said a word of advice relating to your duties of practitioners, it will be, that you cultivate the good will of your seniors. who may be already prospering in the places where you are about to fix yourselves; load also of any competitors of your own standing: that you be not impatient for that share of public confidence which will surely come to you- if you are indus- trious, and otherwise deserving of it ; that you be the promoters of benevolent and liberal institutions—for these are the only brilliant things for which our profession affords opportunities; that, by observation, and the perusal of the works of able men, you keep up your knowledge to the point to which medical .science will be every year rising ; that you will despise all the contemptible arts of open or of concealed quackery—arts which are seldom permanently successful, and which always pormanently disgrace ; and, in short, that in all things you act, not from mere worldly motives of transitory importauce, but from a high and steady sense of duty.
The advantages of fortune, of family connexions, of great introductions, of accomplishments, and agreeable qualities ; a perfect knowledge of the ways of the world ; all these may fail to establish you in prosperity: but industry, study, perseverance, a devotion of your days and nights to your profession— making all other objects secondary, all other pursuits subservient to it—these will surely carry you forward to what you desire. Chiefly, Gentlemen, in all your studies, in all your speculations, in all your researches and pursuits, recollect that to discover truth and to do good are, of all things in this world, alone worthy of your labour and consideration and care. You are but following others in the great path of human exertion ; adding your names to a long catalogue of men who had the same hopes and fears, the same ambition and desires, as yourselves. Pressing closely upon you will follow another generation—other generations—equally busy and equally shortlived. Be able to say, then, whilst you live, as Harvey said when reviled by his un- worthy enemies, "I follow truth alone,"—veritatent solum set pwr; and no little obstacles, no narrow opposition, no worldly disappointments, need discom- pose you. Serious cares, or even great afflictions, no one of you must expect to escape ; but the only way to avoid little cares and vexations, which far more fret the temper and impair the character, is (as Sir Joshua 'Reynolds used to advise his juniors and followers in his own art) " to disregard trifles," and to keep great objects ever in your view. Recollect how little can be gained by the most restless ambition, by the most unquiet passions; and let it be your care that the enjoyment of what you do acquire be not poisoned by the recollection that it was got by dishonesty, or wrung from those who could ill spare it. And if you live to find that your ex- ertions are rewarded by fame and influence, let it be your holiest pride; in that advanced age when your ear will be becoming dull to the voice of praise, and your feeble grasp must soon let go its hold on all. influence, that you did not reach either one or the other by mean arts or tortuous policy ; but that all your dealings and conversations were no less fair and open than your intentions were pure and honest. Then, if, as years creep insensibly upon you, the esteem of men, And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,"
follow you, it will be well. If those rewards should accidentally be withheld— if your motives should he mistaken—if your actions should be misrepresented— or your best intentions frustrated—you may trouble yourselves little for all this, and still preserve your tranquillity ; for you will be able to reflect, that you hay, ever tried to be, as far as your opportunities permitted you, the benefactors of your fellow-creatures. The excitements of ambition, and the dreams of hope, and all the common consolations derived from social and affectionate intercourse, fade away as life advances; but the recollection of days not ignobly, not idly, not frivolously and vainly spent—"memoria bene actm vitae, multorumque bene- factor= recordatio," that consolation may remain to the last. • hope, Gentlemen, you excuse my taking leave of you iu terms like these t differing, no doubt, from the common formality of leave-taking, . Feeling tha my opportunities of impressing on your minds truths which I believe to be im- portant are leaving me, I may, perhaps, be unduly anxious to compress into one discourse the principles which I should wish to see pervading our whole pro- fession. Valuing science much, the aim of science appears to me to be poor indeed, if it is pursued without any higher object than-its acquisition. Greatly wishing that you should be skilful and learned practitioners, I no less desire that you should help to form an age of liberal, and good, and great practitioners. Educated as you have been, and accustomed to reflection, you cannot but some- times reflect on the origin, end, and intention of this mysterious existence. Tracing the organs and actions which conduce to life, the great problem of life must often present itself to your minds. Amidst doubts and uncertainties which no philosophy can solve, it will, I think, occur to you, if such reflections are not strangers to your thoughts, that all true and ennobling ambition—all for which life is really valuable or useful—resolves itself into the duties of self-improve- runt and self-government, and the communication of means of improvement and self-government to others. These duties comprehend every social, every professional, every private duty ; and enter into comprehensive design which man can conceive. In proportion to the advantages you have enjoyed, your en- gagements to these great duties are the stronger ; an& they are the only duties for which no worldly circumstances can possibly disqualify you.
We trust that this small volume will be put into the hands of every medical student in the country. If he do not feel interested in it, it is because he does not understand it ; let, therefore, his Blaster take the book up, peruse it in an evening before his pupils, and comment upon it, pointing out such illustrations and exam- ples as every man's experience will supply.
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