Letter No. 1 - Letter No. 48

Before me, kind sir, is your very obliging letter in which your politeness has induced you to overrate my abilities, and to apply to me encomiums which justly belong to my late illustrious and ever to be revered namesake,' whose character you wish to emulateand a better model I am certain you could not have chosen in the whole catalogue of medical worthies. Tho' much pressed for time with a large packet of letters and pending engagements before me, yet I cannot defer testifying my warmest approbation of that generous zeal and enthusiasm which you express for medical science. From this I dare, almost, venture to prognosticate your future excellence, and that you will probably one day prove an ornament to the profession you have chosen. If any hint of mine towards regulating the objects of your studies can prove conducive to your success, or expedite your progress, be assured, it will afford me much pleasure. If you will lay before me a list of your books, marking those you have read, and can determine at present whether you intend to qualify yourself for a physician, surgeon or apothecary, I will communicate such observations as may occur to me on the subject. If you have had a good classical education, this will be a good foundation for any of the three branches and greatly facilitate your future studies. If you mean to be a physician, and your income will permit, I should advise you to have a very complete education on the most liberal plan and to complete it by foreign travel, attending the most eminent professors at Leyden and Paris, after you have graduated at Edinburgh. Meanwhile I must caution you against indiscriminate reading which, as you justly observe, bewilders young students and leads to confusion. Nor is this all; erroneous ideas are often thus imbibed at an early period, and it requires no small trouble and mortification afterwards to "unlearn what has been learnt amiss." Whatever may be your destination, a proper plan and method of study is indispensably necessary, hence the great advantage of a regular education over the vague and undigested notions obtained from desultory reading. With compts to Messrs Palmer and Silvester.2 I am Sir, yours very sincerely. A. Fothergill