Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-02
TALK TO PHYSICIANS.
CONGRESSMAN WILSON'S ADDRESS AT
THE THEATRE LAST HIGHr.
Delivered Before the Graduating Glass Of
the fifty-frst session Of the Vir-
ginia Medical College.


The commencement exercises OF the nfty-nrsl
session Of the Medical College Of Virginia took
place at the Theatre last night. Copous showers
had fallen at intervals all through the afternoon
and even aftor nighuaIl, but despite this fact
tbero was a brilliant audience present, EN-
bracing many Of the mothers, sisters, and other
relatives and sweethssrts Of tho graduates and
other students and frionds OF the institution
generally. The house was not full, but the audi
torium had very noar its fun complement Of in
tercsied spectators, and tHere we're compsra-
lively few empty chairs In the dress-circle.
On the stage eat the thirteen ncwly-made doc-
tors, number OF the students OF the senior
class, mem bers OF the faculty. and specially-in-
vited guests Among the latter Wers Governor
fiizhugh Leo and Hon. j. L. NJ. Curry, la;9 Minis
ter TO Spain. DR.. j. 5. Dorsey Cullen, dean OF the
i9culty of this time-honOred institution, sat IN
The centre OF tho stage little TO tho font OF the
first row Of seats. The graduates sat immedi-
aeiy 70 hts left ranged in circular row. ON his
! immediate right sat Hon. William l. Wilson.
| member Of Congress from The Charleston dis
| trict. West Virginia the orator Of the evening.
! Next to him was Rev DIR. J. B. Newton, rector
| OF Monumental church and president OF the
Alumni Association OF the college.
No effort at stage decoration had been made,
but the bright scenery was so arranged as 70
produce very pleasant effect
CALLED TO ORDER.
From half past until few minutes past Z
| O'clock when the exercises we're begun. the
| Theatre orchestra discoursed bright and catchy
airs, 10 the delight and entertainment OF the au-
! diencc.
Dr. Cullen, at s:90, called the asssmblsgeto 10
| order, thanked the ladies' aud gentlemen for
their presence. bade them hearty welcome,
and presented DR.. Newton, who offered ieryont
prayer.
When the curtain rose dozons OF baskets and
| bouquets OF beautiful flowers were revealed,
| forming a border almost entirely across the
stage. and when the diplomas were hauded out
! tho numerous floral compliments followed. and
| the hOnored recipients doubtless felt almost as
proud Of thesa as they did Of their ribbon
adorned certificates.
| DIPLOMAS.
After another piece by the ORCHESTRA, DR.. Gull
| len stepped forward and presented the diplomas
| 10 those whose percentage during tho recent e1-
| aminations entitled them 10 these valued pieces
! OF parchment In making tho presentation, Dr.
| Cullen stated that while these gentlemen did
| NOT now know as much in their profession as
| they may and should after years Of experience.
| yet they have passed . rigid examination and
| ihey arc entitled to the confidence and support
OF generous public, TO which he warmly COM
mended them.
PRIZE.
| The Dean now presented DR.. J. W. Henson, who
| stood highest ia that department, with the case
| Of instruments offered as a prize by Dr. Shields,
! adjunct professor OF the eye ear, and throat
! Dr. Cnlien next presented 70 the audience In
| fttlng terms the orator of tho evening. and as
| MI. Wilson advanced 20 the front no was ten
| dered quite an ovation.
THE ADDRESS.
As soon as he could proceed the distinguished
speaker said:
| Ladies and Gonilcmea and Gentlemen OF tho
! Graduating Class.-Tho happy man ia this world
| Is tho mau who has made happy cholce OF MS
profession; 10 whom that choice is 2 marriage ct
| love, not Of convenience or OF any less inspiring
motive.
TO tho vast majority OF men the infinite pains
| and persistent laDor which are the price OF emil
! nence and success in any high calling are a
conscious burden, taken up at times woarly aud
| reluctantly and often abandoned eS TOO greviOus
| 10 DO borne In tho degree that one has a nat
ural bias for his work that burden Is lightened.
and there are rare cases IN which partial nature
| bestOws the gift OF genius, IN nbOrn and master
| passion which drives man to somo Work Tor
| Whchiho eeems marveilOusly fitted and In whose
pursuit he finds an ever expanding delight. For
| such n man life IS freed OF its drUdgery, and tho
| toll and effort which bring Wearincss 10 others
provide for him a perpetual feast Of nectared
! sHees.
IT WAS GENIUS.
It was a genius for art that drove the poor
shepherd boy GiottO 70 trace upon the sand or
the stones OF tho Wayside for lack Of better can
| vas, those pictures Of his sheep which secured
| him patron and opened for him career mat
made him tho founder Of n greRt school and enc
! Of the undying names OF Italian art
II was genius for mathematics thai mpelled
the youthful Blaise Pascal. zen forbidden the
study Of geometry aud denied access 70 books.
TO invent aud work out for himself. with the aid
of piece Of charcoal, thirty-5wo problems Of
the geometry OF Euclid.
It was genius Tor scientific study which made
Joseph Henry, when small treatise on natural
philosophy accidentally fell into his hands, re-
solgo Instantly 70 abandon all other plans aud
occupations and dedicste his life % die science
t. whose advancement lie made such honorable
contributions
But such genius is among the rsrest OF all en-
d0Wments. Few men a!e born with its diyino
a1latus. Not many ot us come intO the world
with tho poets ins ptrailun that MAKES us lisp
In numbers for the numbers comc,' or with that
gift OF eloquence thst drove young chancery
CLERK Of this city 70 decialm in the soiitudes OF
the forest or in tho barn, with the OK and horse
for his auditors; or with our infante fingers
reaching ont for the immortal brush or chisel.
For men generally tue choice Of profession
or business is not tho result al any intorn and
compelling bent, bat a matter Of place and cir
cumstance, OF ac,ident, Of selection by others,
or OF their own judgment carefully or carelessly
reached.
In America especially II is no, by any means
an indissOluble union "Until death DO US part
but tie that Is freely severed With change Of
Circumstance or OF feeling
"CH0OSE The BTsT."
Pardon me, gentlemen, II decline 70 assume
tonight that thero Is a single genius among
your mum bor. or that any OF you have adopted
the medical profession because you Wero IRE
sistibly drawn 70 it, Pardon me II ] assume as
the basis Of my remarks that in the mOmentous
choice OF the work 10 which your life is to be de-
voted you have had no other rule than that
which must be commended to all earnest ana
intelligent young men-" Choose Tire Dest use
and want Will make il easy" Tonight you
sOemnize In the presence Of this vast au-
dienco your entire dedication 10 that pro-
fessiOn. Henceforth, II ] may use the
familiar and Well-w0rn metaphor generally
mAdo 70 do duty on such Occasious, you part
company with the faithful pilots ON whose in
structOn aud guidance you have hitherto relied,
la aNln rf
compass and to your Own capacity for seaman
ship, head for tho unknown sea. IL IN bravo
sight 10 behold you move on with sails uniurled
and pennants flying, and the hopeful gaze Of
many who now cheer your departure Will watch
10 see how many will make IL a genuine voyage.
moving forward with steady nerve and growing
mastery OF the wave, and how many, win
waning purpose and Tagging energies, WI
strike sail al the harhor's exit 10 beat forever
among tho shoals and shadows OF the coast
7 MS world Is yet waiting. gentlemen, and, Tear.
Is doomed 10 wait for many ages stu, Ter that
generation which will accomplish all that lies
within fair reach o. its power
II my own experience Is that OF others, as we
grow older, es we see more OF inc possibilities
Of life, We are tho more impressed with the
mighty margin between what the best men Gc-
complish and what they might accomplish. We
find oursolTes looking anLiously and hopefully
20 every young man who moves with any SHOW
OF earnestness ana enthusiasm 30 his lieWork
II peradyenture We ara at last 70 see one Who
will reduce this mighty margin 70 reasonable
limits.
THE GREAT QUESTION.
The great question as 10 tho coming man Is
not such as the one discussed IN the recent pc
riodicals by DR.. Hammond and others IS TO
whether be will have a bald head or do this or
that, but how much OF his task he will really
perform and how far he will still be from its
goal when the night comcs.
A modern painter, whose distempered brain
was rapidly plubging into hopeless mania, has
left sOne pictures IN which cOneummaie skill
has portrayed upon the canvas the Nid iancle5
OF q growing madman. ono Of these Is paint
ing OF game Of ches-. The players are Satan
and a man the STAKES are the mans soul. The
spectator Is thrilled and hOrriaed at tho intense
and malignant eagerness 20 win the stakes
which tho mad artist has depicted In tho ioa-
lures Of tho iiend.
A leader Of modern thought has seized upon
the idea Of the artist 70 suggest an Image OF
human life according 10 tho Interpretations Of
modern science especially OF that physical SCI
euce Of which lie Is the most eloquent OK
FOUNDER. He, too, likens IL TO n game OF chess,
which each one Of us, man or woman, plays with
90 upsaeu ufavRr cle-s-DO4rI Is tho