Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-01-28
DR.. DICKSON'S ADDRESS.

UnI UlChDUN u aUUNEEHt
We find in our drawer an introductor,
address, delivered by the eloquent Dr.
DICKSON, Of Charleston, before the medca
class of the present winter Like all othe
productions Of this accomplished physician
and lecturer. it is at once chaste and forcible
We have but room to copy the tolowin.
passage, upon the necessity Of varied learn
ing to the proper illustration of mcdica
science:
"Take comfort, my son." wrote the illus
trious Chatham to the no less illustriou:
Boy Minister, who so long governed the
mighty kingdom of Great Britain, "Take
comfort my son. after all, you have only
the Cyclopcdia to MASTER The domain ol
Scientific Medicine reaches to-day over all
the vast realms Of modern attainment, COM
promising within its recognized limits an
acquaintance with every department Of hu.
man knowledge. 'What science is there;
-cxciains . recent writer Oh Physiology,
himself an admirable example of omnlvo-
ro!ls acquisition" What science is there
which is not involved, in explaining our
structure and functions? Anatomy, Chem
i>try. Zoology. tlle various branches of Nat
ural Philosophy. which themselves require
as their foundation Mathematics, are briefly
specified but it would be difficult to say
what could be excepted.
Little less. indeed, than the complete cir
cle So tcrscly indicated BY Chathan, will
suffice for the Physician. "To learn to rca-
son, he must know" knowledge is conveyed
and homd UP III language. Classical learn.
ing therefore. and what is called literature,
are necessary for him as truly as science
proper, that he may understand what he
reads, and be capable to state, to narrate,
to infer, to argue, to prove: to convince.
Modern languages are Indispensable to him:
if he aim at the highest point Of excellence
and its prompt attainment. 1t is fhortify-
iny to be compelled to wait for translations;
and still more, to depend upon others not
only for the selection of what they chose to
distil for us from foreign materials, but for
the correctness and truthfulness Of the con-
veyancc. ! am aware that "all is not pos
sible to all" J" nay, perhaps not to any; but
am anxious to impress upon You the ur-
gent demand that you should attain to all
that is possible, each one for himself. Ii is
infnitcly y easy to know too little; ininitcl!
9i1}leHls ta I k4aY taa ppch ResA9fst Rasb
which he will never discover, nay, which
have no means of development, but through
diligence: patient study, vehement mental
effort. As in course of gymnastics We
find ourselves, upon earnest and repeated
trial, capable of icats of strength and agility
unthought Of aud unhopcd for, SO will ven.
ture TO assure you that the stcepest and
loftiest heights Of the apparently impossible
are oitcn-and sometimes with unexpected
ease too-scalcd by the re<olute climber.
Forward, then, and be your motto, Excel J
sior Ii your preliminary education have
been imperfect, take up again, with manly
the grammar and the diction.
airy. Master your own glorious tongue, The
language of Milton and Shakespeare and Ba-
coll-of Sydclham and Cullen and Rush.
Enable yourselves to communicate your
thoughts in the fixed and stcrcotyped-not
dcad-but cmphatically living and immor-
tai dialect Of universal science employed By
Cicero and PIiny and CELSIUS, Stahl and
Gregory. Open with familiar key the new
and daily multip lying treasures accumulated
bv our French and German brethren, and
it is impossible for me to cxaggeratc the ad-
yau,ants and facilities which will accrue to
you from these highly available sources of
intelligence.