way, and once a little known.

Don Quevedo is of opinion, that the best way to run into business is to run into debt, because your creditors will employ you to get paid:-as to putting this experiment in practice, I shall rather choose to leave it to your own natural genius to direct you therein, than much to persuade you thereto, since there may be danger, should it not succeed.

"To these hints I must observe to you, that dancing and dressing well, are not such slight accomplishments to introduce a young physician into practice, as you may imagine, because it makes him acceptable to the ladies and beau monde: his fashionable gesture, and gentle manner of feeling a pulse agreeably, is half the business; nay, that, and very little else may, in time, for ought I know, go a great way towards an hospital, or other public employ. In fine, I shall now leave you; may you live and brush on, so you may take the other ways to it.

"I could mention you some, who got into business in physic, by writing poetry, some by divinity, others by politics, &c. But should you have an itching to make your name known by writing a book on physic, yet so customary, I would advise you to choose the subject by which you think you will get most money, or that which will bring you the most general business, as fevers, small pox, &c. For in those, some must always live, some die, 'tis a hard matter to tell when right, or when wrong; write which way you will, 'tis disputable; but, certain it is, that the world in general readily conclude that you

certainly understand that which you write about. The method of writing, if in your frontispiece you address not your book to some great man, is to club with some other physicians; and thus by way of letters, to commend each other's good practice, and to support and make each other famous. But above all things, take particular care, let the subject be what it will, that the words be well chosen, so to make up an elegant and florid speech; since you have ten to one that mind the language more than the ideas, as Mr. Pope says:

"Others for language all their care express,
And value books, as women men for dress;
Their praise is still-'the style is excellent ;'
The sense they humbly take upon content."

"And next, then, I would advise you, whatever the subject be you write upon (if uncommon the better), rather to write, so as that no man can make any thing of it, so as neither to make downright sense, or nonsense thereof, than otherwise; because thus none of the profession can well lay hold of you for any particular part; or, if they should, there is room for you to defend it, being as easy to be understood one way as t'other. This is that method I commend, which Mr. Locke observes to be possible enough, for one to write a tolerable discourse of wellchosen and well-joined words, which, nevertheless, on the whole, makes not up any real sense, or intelligible meaning. Thus I will suppose a man to write

of sleep; now if I wrote in this manner, it is ten to one but that it will make all who read it fall asleep, and, consequently, what can be better said on the subject.

"The last thing I advise you to do, is to get acquainted and cheerfully to keep company with all old women, midwives, nurses, and apothecaries, since these will still be entertaining you in the way of your business, and as the old ladies, &c. are most subject to ailings, so they will still be acquainting you with the same; and consequently, you are to make the most of it, and never to neglect or make slight of the least complaint; and thus you will gain the reputation of being both careful and skilful; whereas otherwise your care and skill may be suspected as well as your affectation."

Thus Dr. Mead concludes his advice to his brother physician. We do not quote it as an example for imitation, but as a curious record of the state of the profession in his day. We feel assured that no man of a properly constituted mind would have recourse to such illegitimate means of advancing himself in the world. He would rather adopt the following sentiment of Pope :

"But if the purchase cost so dear a price,

As soothing folly or exalting vice;

Then teach me, Heaven! to scorn the guilty bays,
Drive from my breast that wretched lust of praise;
Unblemish'd let me live, or die unknown,

Oh, grant an honest fame, or grant me none.”

END OF VOL. I.

PHYSIC AND PHYSICIANS.

CHAPTER I.

CHRONICLES OF WARWICK HALL; OR, MEDICAL AND SURGICAL LUMINARIES OF THE OLDEN TIME.

History of the Old College of Physicians-Sir J. Cutler—Sir Charles Scarborough-Dr. Sermon-Dr. Thomas Willis— Sir W. Petty-Dr. Gideon Harvey-Dr. Mead-An account of his Rise in Physic-Queen Caroline-Mead's Converzationes-Dr. Cadogan-Dr. J. Bainbridge-Dr. J. FothergillDr. Battie-Dr. M. Baillie-Dr. Sydenham-Sir Hans Sloane -Dr. W. Hunter-Dr. Hawes-Dr. Glover-Dr. G. Fordyce -Dr. Cheyne-Dr. W. Harvey-Dr. Friend-Dr. Arbuthnot -Dr. Jenner-Dr. Gregory-Dr. Lettsom-Dr. MounseySir R. Croft-Dr. Mackintosh-Sir D. Barry-ChesseldenMr. P. Pott-Mr. Hey-Mr. Heaviside.

WHAT a myriad of pleasing and melancholy associations crowd upon our mind, as we gaze at the old College of Physicians, in Warwick Lane!

The contiguity of this College to the Old Bailey, and the impression excited in the mind by a view of the entrance porch, are thus humourously alluded to

by Sir Samuel Garth, in the opening canto of his "Dispensary;"—

"Not far from that most celebrated place,
Where angry Justice shows her awful face,
Where little villains must submit to fate,
That great ones may enjoy the world in state,—
There stands a Dome, majestic to the sight,
And sumptuous arches bear its awful height;
A golden globe, placed high with artful skill,
Seems to the distant sight a gilded pill."

We have previously stated that the College of Physicians was founded by Linacre, in the year 1578. Prior to that event, the state of medical science was very low in England. It was only remarkable for ingenious hypotheses, unsupported by the evidence of facts, and for a credulous faith in astrological influence, equally visionary. The sweating sickness raged in London with great violence previous to the year 1518. The infected died within three hours after the appearance of the disease, and no effectual remedy was discovered. The administration of justice was suspended during its continuance, and the court removed from place to place with precipitation and

fear.

Half the people in some parts of the country were swept away, and the principal trade carried on was in coffins and shrouds; but even that, in the progress of the plague, was generally abandoned. In London, vast sepulchral pits were prepared every morning, into which the victims were thrown promiscuously. The