with the dry details of mere technical learning. In this way, an immense fund of useful and entertaining knowledge will be almost imperceptibly obtained, which will, by casting a pleasing radiance over the subjects of his deeper study, remove the otherwise Cimmerian darkness, which antiquity. has thrown over them. When once a certain progress is made; when once the student has adopted a proper course of reading, those seemingly irremoveable difficulties, which at first opposed his progress, will sink into insignificance, and he will then wonder that he ever was alarmed at their appearance. But the Student should remember, that his inquiries must not tend only in one direction; he must pursue his researches all around him, and that, at the same time, and with the same diligence; and though circumstances may induce him to examine, with more minute attention, the developement of particular views in preference to others, a general acquaintance must be had with every branch; for the strata of the law have been so disrupted and thrown together by time, and the increasing wants of society, that where least expected, one finds the principles of another and a different law, intimately located with those of more ancient formation. So much to the practitioner elect a few words now to the English public, on the advantage to them of the study of their law. There are times, when, in the course of every man's life, a knowledge of the general features of the law of the society in which we live, must be of service to him, to say nothing of such a knowledge being the proper accomplishment of every gentleman and scholar, and a highly useful, if not an almost essential part of a liberal and polite education.* Many a tear of bitter anguish, many a heart-rending grief, would be changed to a smile of grateful pleasure, through even a slight acquaintance with that law, which is the same for the poor as the rich, and with which every man is supposed to be intimately acquainted. But even assuming a man to be so happily circumstanced through the common relations of life, as never to experience distress of mind through ignorance of the law, how much satisfaction will it not afford him to know, that, as a magistrate, he has never through mistake committed injustice, or as a juryman, has invariably decided aright. To the younger part of our readers, more particularly, would we observe, that we are all looking to a settlement in the world, we are all preparing to take our respective parts in the great drama of life; and though the castings may be different to what we at present anticipate, each of us will have some part to play on the grand theatre of the world. We shall therefore (except those, who may happen to be professionally exempted) be from time to time "called upon to establish the rights, to estimate the injuries, to weigh the accusations, and sometimes to dispose of the lives of our fellow-subjects; and this by serving upon juries. In this situation we shall frequently have to decide, and that upon "Servius (Sulpicius) cum in causis orandis primum locum, aut pro certo post Marcum Tullium, obtinuisset, traditur ad consulendum Quintum Mucium de re amici sui pervenisse ; cumque eum sibi respondisse de jure, Servius parum intellexisset, iterum Quintum interrogasse, et a Quinto Mucio responsum esse; nec tamen percepisse : et ita objurgatum esse à Quinto Mucio: namque eum dixisse, 'turpe esse patricio, et nobili, et causas oranti, jus, in quo versaretur, ignorare.' Eâ velut contumeliâ Servius tractatus, operam dedit juri civili.” Pandects I. ii. 22. Instances need hardly be here given, since so many thousands have been ruined by the bubble speculations of 1825. our oaths, questions of grave importance, in the solution of which some legal skill is requisite; especially where the law and the fact, as it often happens, are intimately blended together. The general incapacity, even of our best juries, to do this with any tolerable propriety, has greatly debased their authority, and has unavoidably thrown more power into the hands of the judges to direct, control, and even reverse their verdicts, than perhaps the founders of our constitution intended."* To obviate these difficulties, to regain, under their own control, their rights, and the due administration and preservation of them, has been the labour of all, who have felt a proper regard for the blessings and the benefits of our constitution; and of this need we say, that a jury of our country is its best and surest bulwark? Shall we not then, as faithful patriots, prepare ourselves to take our post, when duty call us, in defence of this outwork of our safety? And can we do this more effectually, than by a thorough acquaintance with the rights and the privileges, which appertain to it? Were our limits not prescribed, and our space nearly filled, we could dilate with pleasure on the minute advantages accruing from a knowledge of the law, but enough :—the imaginations of our readers will depict them for themselves, and it only now remains to assure them, that but comparatively little study is required, to participate in the result. "The wise and active conquer difficulties By daring to attempt them: sloth and folly That a feeling, of the necessity, for a Study of the Law, is very generally gaining ground, we are happy to bear testimony; and, indeed, if nothing else tended to show it, the formation of the Law class, in the University of London, would alone be a sufficient proof; for of the 144 men who attended it, during the last Session, a very small portion have decided intention of practising in the courts. any We have purposely, in the foregoing observations, avoided entering into a detail of the plan of our study, and of its application to practice; this we shall reserve until some future opportunity; when we intend to compare the different modes recommended by various authors, and in pointing out the necessary variations, which time and an accumulation of legal decisions, have rendered absolutely essential, show how we have ourselves endeavoured to shorten the necessary labour :-and this, not as putting forward our own, as the best possible course a student can engage in, but merely as affording him, up to the point we have gone ourselves, hints for the conducting his own progress, in that manner, which, from the peculiarities of his case, may appear most serviceable to him † We are inclined to this, and to delay it as long as possible, because the innumerable alterations, which the following the recommendations of the Commissioners for the improvement of the law, must necessarily occasion, both in principle and practice, will cause every lawyer to have recourse to a new mode of study. Blackstone's Com., Vol. I. p. 8. + From a knowledge of the difficulty which most parents feel as to the proper course of learning a youth should undergo prior to entering upon the immediate study of the law, we purpose in our next, or in some early number, to give our ideas on the requisites for entering upon Legal Study, as applicable to the various branches of the profession. And here let us observe, that the labours from time to time of a commission like this are essential to the preservation of true justice, so long as parliament will continue to make particular laws, from which no general principles can be deduced, and which are, perhaps, at variance with every general principle theretofore established. But the day, we trust, is not far distant, when some mighty hand will grasp the immense volume of the law, and, tearing it away from the accumulations of error, which now defile it, concealing almost its very form and substance, shall cause it to shine forth in the broad light of such general principles, as must include every particular instance, which may, or can arise. Till this is done-till the master mind is applied to the fabric, we must be content to take it as it is, however much we may deplore its present incongruous irregularities. Towards him then, who, in weakness. and ill-health, has formed the noble design, and done his best to accomplish its execution; undergoing fatigues, which would have completely worn out a stouter frame, had not the mighty energies of mind more than compensated for the physical infirmity of body; our hearts must teem with grateful emotions, especially too, since to him are we chiefly indebted for the establishment of the Metropolitan University. [16] ON THE BEST METHOD OF PROSECUTING THE STUDY OF MEDICINE, IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. "Naturæ rerum contemplatio, quamvis non faciat medicum, aptiorem tamen medicinæ reddit." THE importance of Medical Science is felt and acknowledged. Its advancement, within the last thirty years, has been greater than during the preceding century: its conjectural character is becoming, every day, less and less; and, the increased value of human life, which has been lately ascertained, is, in a great measure, to be attributed to improvements in medical science. To forward the progressive state of so important a branch of human knowledge is, therefore, most deeply connected with the welfare of society; and, as far as relates to this country, that desirable object is likely to be much aided by the establishment of THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. The intention of this paper, however, is not to display the advantages, which medical science is likely to derive from this University, but to point out to the student the best manner in which he may secure to himself the full benefit of the instructions delivered within its walls. What is the object of a medical education? Is it not to acquire such a knowledge of the animal frame and of its functions, both mental, and corporeal, in a state of health, and of disease, as will enable the practitioner to maintain the former state, and to change into it the latter? If this definition be correct, the extent of information, which it implies, is very considerable; and it also pre-supposes a capacity of mind of no or dinary degree: but, few young men enter upon the study of medicine with a mind tutored to the exertion, which it requires; or whose preliminary education has had any reference to the nature of their future studies. To lay this necessary foundation, is the duty of every parent who designs his son for the medical profession; but, as the young men, who repair to the metropolis to prosecute or to complete their medical studies, seldom enjoy the advantages of such a preliminary education as we refer to, it is necessary to point out, how far this deficiency may be remedied. It is scarcely requisite to mention, that a certain portion of classical learning is essential in the preliminary education of a medical student. It is not necessary that he should possess an extensive and critical acquaintance with classical literature; on the contrary, such an acquirement would rather be disadvantageous than beneficial; as the mind of the student might frequently be thereby withdrawn from the sole object, which must engross the votary of medicine, from the moment that the study of the science is commenced, through the whole career of life; namely, the attainment of a perfect knowledge of his profession. In the law, no man can expect to arrive at eminence and distinction, unless he devote to the study of it, the whole vigour of his mind, and every portion of his time, consistent with the preservation of health and life; and, although in the practice of medicine, this entire devotion is thought to be less requisite, since individuals have attained to high reputation, and acquired fortune with a very slender stock of knowledge, and without much mental effort; yet, such a reputation has usually proved only temporary, and, as general information extends, it is impossible to presume that the eyes of the public will remain closed to the extreme folly of reposing confidence in ignorant and presumptuous pretenders. If, therefore, the same close application of the mental powers be requisite in the physician, as in the lawyer, care must be taken to render the mind capable of the necessary exertion by early and efficient training. As we suppose, that every student, who enters for Medicine, already possesses such a stock of classical learning as will enable him to read a medical work written in Latin, we shall say nothing more on this subject. An acquaintance with French is indispensable; and, when it can be obtained, a knowledge of Italian and German will be found of the greatest advantage. But, no branch of learning is better calculated to lay a good foundation for the attainment of medical knowledge than Mathematics; which should, undoubtedly, form one of the preliminary branches of study of every young man, intended for the medical profession. In the University of London, Mathematics are well taught; and, we would recommend every young man to make the study of Mathematics one of the objects of his first year. But, it will be said, that many young men come to London for one session, or two sessions only; and, that the multiplicity of subjects of a more directly important nature, which must be attended to, precludes them from being able to profit by following this p'an of study. This is a circumstance deeply to be lamented: and, the public will derive great benefit from discountenancing such a hurried course of proceeding. It is absurd to suppose that, if the lot of a practitioner place him in an obscure part of the country, where his care and skill must, necessarily, be very imperfectly remunerated, that he should be less properly instructed on that account; or, that the health and the life of the poor are to be protected in the ratio only of their powers of remunerating their medical attendants. Wherever, in whatever rank of the profession, or under whatsoever name, an individual may be able to practice, his education should be as perfect, as his capacity of mind will permit. Parents, who cannot afford such advantages to their sons, must not think of pushing them into a profession, in which the imperfection of education is a public evil,-a source of misery to themselves, if they possess (either conscience or feeling, and a general curse to their fellow-men. Along with Mathematics, we strongly recommend a course of Natural Philosophy, and these, with Chemistry, will be sufficient, if properly prosecuted, to occupy the time of the student during the first session. Three hours, occupied in hearing Lectures, with two hours reading upon each of the subjects of lecture, may appear a course of severe study, continued for eight months; but the varying of the subject forms a relief to the mind; so that the severity is much less than a course of reading upon any one subject, for nine hours daily, during the short terms of the Universities of Oxford and of Cambridge. We recommend Chemistry in the first year; because, without some knowledge of that extensive branch of science, many of the details of Anatomy cannot be well understood: it has thrown the clearest light upon Physiology; is the basis of Materia Medica; and is essential for the acquirement of a proper knowledge of diseases; as far as these are connected with the secretions of the body, and the general functions of the stomach and lungs; and it is not less necessary for the prescriber in the actual treatment of the sick. At the close of this session, during the summer months, if Botany have hot formed a part of early education, it should be attended to; for, on Chemistry, Natural history, Botany, and Physiology, the study of Materia Medica, and Therapeutics, which will form a part of the occupation of the second session, is founded. Nothing displays a greater degree of prejudice, or a more lamentable ignorance of the subject, than to regard Botany, as utterly useless to the medical student. Were it, as it is too generally, but erroneously, supposed to be, a mere catalogue of names, with the power of arranging plants according to some peculiar method, we should not waste words in urging its importance; but, when it is taught, as it has been, successfully, in the University, according to the method of Jussieu and of De Candolle; the general view, which it affords of life and its properties, as displayed in the vegetable part of organic nature, leaves no room for doubting its importance to the physician. Life cannot be too closely observed in all its modifications, and many of its effects, as displayed in the economy of plants, may be, and have been, the means of elucidating important points in animal physiology. If the first session have been thus occupied, the mind of the student will be rendered capable of more extended and varied employment; and, therefore, in the second session, his duties will, necessarily, be more numerous, and, also, require closer application. The classes, which he should attend during the second session, must, however, still be of a preliminary character; but, they are progressive to the more practical portion of his |