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disqualified themselves from acting or co-operating with any body of men whose dutyand rule of action should be the exercise ofimpartiality and fair-play towards all per-sons, without reference to the religious orpolitical opinions of any. I have the honourto remain, Sir, your obedient humble ser-vant,

OBSERVATOR.

Dublin, Dec. 30, 1835.

METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITYDEGREES.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Having read two letters in recentNumbers of your Journal, on the subject ofthe rumoured ministerial University, fromstudents, it will not be thought, I trust, pre-sumptuous in me, though but a country ap-prentice, yet equally concerned in this inte.resting event, to say a few words on thesubject.Thinking with your correspondent who

signs himself " A STUDENT," that the plandivulged would be little better than a con-tinuation of the certificate system (whichenriches the few at the expense of the many),1 wish to be considered as replying to somefew of the extraordinary statements con-tained in the letter of the "KiNG’s COLLEGESTUDENT." On seeing this signature, I wasled to suspect something unsound, and mysuspicions were increased, when, on readingthe letter, I found a long account of the im-moral tendency of students having to pre-pare themselves for examination, withoutcompulsory attendance on " recognised"schools. Your correspondent seems to haveoverlooked one source of disadvantage to

the student from the present plan. Are themorals of young men more likely to be en-dangered in country towns, under the eyesof their friends and relations, or whencrowded together amid the temptations ofpopulous and dissipated cities ? It is not somuch the love of mere pleasure, as a fond-ness for company, that leads young men intothe excesses of youth. Your correspondentseems to wish, that no degree should begranted unless the candidate has obtained’certificates uf attendance on lectures, when i

he himself allows that they are often pro-cured without attendance. " How manyare there," he exclaims, " who never show’themselves in a lecture-room more thanthree or four times a week!" And yet these-young men obtain their" certificates." Whythen should certificates be required ? Provideda student passes his examination, in conse-quence of having acquired suflicient know-ledge to enable him to perform the impor-tant duties of a medical practitioner, what

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more can be needed by an honest govern-ment ?The present system also tends to prevent

the country practitioner from raising him-self above mediocrity, as he has no induce-ment to devote much time to the instructionof those pupils who are placed under hiscare, and who, after spending five years incomparative idleness (unless there be muchdispensing operations), go to London, attendthe " recognised" hospitals, and there areprofessed to be taught their profession,while, in reality, the system in the end pro.duces little more than the " fees" whichthey are obliged to pay to the lecturers,-not a harvest of knowledge to the students.

But, Sir, that part of your correspondent’sletter particularly astonishes me, where hesays, that if young men " were to graduatedirectly on coming to London, relying solelyon their own exertions for getting throughtheir examination, and without being put toany expense, being sons of farmers, trades-men, &c., their graduation would detractfrom the respectability of the graduates as abody." This, in the nineteenth century, froma student of medicine and surgery! The

gentleman, no doubt, is the son, or perhapsthe grand-nevey, of one of the " big wigs"of the profession, or surely he would notwrite thus. Are men of enlightened mindsto be refused the means of graduating, be-cause, forsooth, they are sons of tradesmenand farmers ? Surely the gentleman forgetshimself.

Praying that the cause, of which you wereso long the sole supporter, may soon tram-ple down its great enemies, monopoly, pre-judice, and self interest, I remain, Sir,your obedient servant,

A COUNTRY APPRENTICE.Taunton, Dec. 18, 1835.

THE TUNBRIDGE-WELLS CONTRACT.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—As I am the 11 individual alluded

to in the communication made by Mr. Wayin your last week’s LANCET, allow me

through the same medium to state the rea-sons why " alone of all the medical men"

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objected to sign the resolutions entered intoby those gentlemen who formed the meet-ing referred to. I did not, as is there stated,., decline from the first to act with my pro-fessional brethren." On the contrary, Iattended the first meeting (held at Mr.Way’s house), perfectly willing to join themin any arrangements which might meet myapprobation, or ready to state my objectionsto any measures not in accordance with myviews of the object for which we had beensummoned together. Having been calledaway soon after the business of the meeting