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My advice to every teacher less experienced than myself would be； therefore： Do not fret over the details you have to omit； you probably teach altogether too many as it is。 Individuals may learn a thing with once hearing it； but the only way of teaching a whole class is by enormous repetition； representation； and illustration in all possible forms。 Now and then you will have a young man on your benches like the late Waldo Burnett；not very often； if you lecture half a century。 You cannot pretend to lecture chiefly for men like that；a Mississippi raft might as well take an ocean…steamer in tow。 To meet his wants you would have to leave the rest of your class behind and that you must not do。 President Allen of Jefferson College says that his instruction has been successful in proportion as it has been elementary。 It may be a humiliating statement； but it is one which I have found true in my own experience。
To the student I would say； that however plain and simple may be our teaching； he must expect to forget much which he follows intelligently in the lecture…room。 But it is not the same as if he had never learned it。 A man must get a thing before he can forget it。 There is a great world of ideas we cannot voluntarily recall； they are outside the limits of the will。 But they sway our conscious thought as the unseen planets influence the movements of those within the sphere of vision。 No man knows how much he knows；how many ideas he has；any more than he knows how many blood…globules roll in his veins。 Sometimes accident brings back here and there one； but the mind is full of irrevocable remembrances and unthinkable thoughts； which take a part in all its judgments as indestructible forces。 Some of you must feel your scientific deficiencies painfully after your best efforts。 But every one can acquire what is most essential。 A man of very moderate ability may be a good physician； if he devotes himself faithfully to the work。 More than this； a positively dull man； in the ordinary acceptation of the term； sometimes makes a safer practitioner than one who has； we will say； five per cent。 more brains than his average neighbor； but who thinks it is fifty per cent。 more。 Skulls belonging to this last variety of the human race are more common； I may remark； than specimens like the Neanderthal cranium； a cast of which you will find on the table in the Museum。
Whether the average talent be high or low； the Colleges of the land must make the best commodity they can out of such material as the country and the cities furnish them。 The community must have Doctors as it must have bread。 It uses up its Doctors just as it wears out its shoes； and requires new ones。 All the bread need not be French rolls； all the shoes need not be patent leather ones； but the bread must be something that can be eaten； and the shoes must be something that can be worn。 Life must somehow find food for the two forces that rub everything to pieces； or burn it to ashes；friction and oxygen。 Doctors are oxydable products； and the schools must keep furnishing new ones as the old ones turn into oxyds； some of first… rate quality that burn with a great light； some of a lower grade of brilliancy； some honestly； unmistakably； by the grace of God； of moderate gifts； or in simpler phrase； dull。
The public will give every honest and reasonably competent worker in the healing art a hearty welcome。 It is on the whole very loyal to the Medical Profession。 Three successive years have borne witness to the feeling with which this Institution； representing it in its educational aspect； is regarded by those who are themselves most honored and esteemed。 The great Master of Natural Science bade the last year's class farewell in our behalf； in those accents which delight every audience。 The Head of our ancient University honored us in the same way in the preceding season。 And how can we forget that other occasion when the Chief Magistrate of the Commonwealth； that noble citizen whom we have just lost； large…souled； sweet… natured； always ready for every kind office； came among us at our bidding； and talked to us of our duties in words as full of wisdom as his heart was of goodness？
You have not much to fear； I think； from the fancy practitioners。 The vulgar quackeries drop off； atrophied； one after another。 Homoeopathy has long been encysted； and is carried on the body medical as quietly as an old wen。 Every year gives you a more reasoning and reasonable people to deal with。 See how it is in Literature。 The dynasty of British dogmatists； after lasting a hundred years and more； is on its last legs。 Thomas Carlyle； third in the line of descent； finds an audience very different from those which listened to the silver speech of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the sonorous phrases of Samuel Johnson。 We read him； we smile at his clotted English； his 〃swarmery〃 and other picturesque expressions； but we lay down his tirade as we do one of Dr。 Cumming's interpretations of prophecy； which tells us that the world is coming to an end next week or next month； if the weather permits；not otherwise；feeling very sure that the weather will be unfavorable。
It is the same common…sense public you will appeal to。 The less pretension you make； the better they will like you in the long run。 I hope we shall make everything as plain and as simple to you as we can。 I would never use a long word； even； where a short one would answer the purpose。 I know there are professors in this country who 〃ligate〃 arteries。 Other surgeons only tie them； and it stops the bleeding just as well。 It is the familiarity and simplicity of bedside instruction which makes it so pleasant as well as so profitable。 A good clinical teacher is himself a Medical School。 We need not wonder that our young men are beginning to announce themselves not only as graduates of this or that College； but also as pupils of some one distinguished master。
I wish to close this Lecture； if you will allow me a few moments longer； with a brief sketch of an instructor and practitioner whose character was as nearly a model one in both capacities as I can find anywhere recorded。
Dr。 JAMES JACKSON； Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in this University from 1812 to 1846； and whose name has been since retained on our rolls as Professor Emeritus； died on the 27th of August last； in the ninetieth year of his age。 He studied his profession； as I have already mentioned； with Dr。 Holyoke of Salem； one of the few physicians who have borne witness to their knowledge of the laws of life by living to complete their hundredth year。 I think the student took his Old Master； as he always loved to call him； as his model； each was worthy of the other； and both were bright examples to all who come after them。
I remember that in the sermon preached by Dr。 Grazer after Dr。 Holyoke's death； one of the points most insisted upon as characteristic of that wise and good old man was the perfect balance of all his faculties。 The same harmonious adjustment of powers； the same symmetrical arrangement of life； the same complete fulfilment of every day's duties； without haste and without needless delay； which characterized the master； equally distinguished the scholar。 A glance at the life of our own Old Master； if I can do any justice at all to his excellences； will give you something to carry away from this hour's meeting not unworthy to be remembered。
》From December； 1797； to October； 1799； he remained with Dr。 Holyoke as a student； a period which he has spoken of as a most interesting and most gratifying part of his life。 After this he passed eight months in London； and on his return； in October； 1800； he began business in Boston。
He had followed Mr。 Cline； as I have mentioned； and was competent to practise Surgery。 But he found Dr。 John Collins Warren had already occupied the ground which at that day hardly called for more than one leading practitioner； and wisely chose the Medical branch of the profession。 He had only himself to rely upon； but he had confidence in his prospects； conscious； doubtless； of his own powers； knowing his own industry and determination； and being of an eminently cheerful and hopeful dispositi