A few papers on foreign pharmacy and other subjects / by Joseph Ince.

  • Ince, Joseph
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A few papers on foreign pharmacy and other subjects / by Joseph Ince. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    its owner and reputation, seems part of the current course of events. But there was a time when these very houses were not in existence. Their directors were hard-working, persevering, determined assistants, with not a tithe of the advantages of the present day. Education had to be dug up. The scanty Latin of their youth was mystified in an unintelligible grammar, which has only been swept away within the last few years. Greek was considered a language well adapted to the Athenians, and an austere schoolmaster who taught for his salary, was not likely to awaken a strong interest in general knotvledge. After this pleasant commencement, the young beginner was apprenticed to a Chemist, because his parents thought it such a nice clean business; accordingly, the Tyro found himself immediately smothered up to his eyes in white, red, and blue paint, not unlike the clown at Astley’s, happy to present himself to society, not too redolent of varnish, and having escaped the oil-can on the one side, and the black-lead on the other, allow a comprehensive apron to cover all deficiencies for seven long years. He then came to London. No institution taught him anything, no good and cheap books instructed him. There were museums for surgery, anatomy, and geology, but none for him; there was less time than there now is, and rougher work. What then ? The battle of life was before him, and he won it. Success, almost barricaded, was carried by assault. Fame was not an heir loom in the family, it was gained slowly but surely. The shop, though draughty enough in all conscience, was never favoured by some special gale from heaven which swept in the cus-