CHAPTER XIV.

With us ther was a Doctour of Phisike;
In all this world ne was ther non him like
To speke of phisike and of surgerie.
He knew the cause of every maladie,
Were it of cold, or hote, or moist, or drie,
And wher engendred, and of what humour:
He was a veray parfite practisour.

Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.

Ir was about a week after the receipt of my mother's letter, that Uncle Jeremy sent for me to come to his apart

ment.

I found him engaged in close conversation with a gentleman in black, whose appearance was remarkable-too stern to be inviting, yet too noble to be termed forbidding. His person was tall and finely proportioned, and wanted but roundness to make it elegant. His countenance, strongly marked, showed a character of no common order-The forehead was lofty, regular, and beautifully expanded from temple to temple,-so much so, that viewed obliquely, it seemed to arise in almost a right angle from the outer canthus.-Indeed,-if I may be indulged in that violence of expression which is finely characteristic of the writers of this "impassioned" age,you fancied, when studying it intently, that the mind within, too strong for confinement, was bursting its disdained inclosures. Over the nose it was slightly wrinkled, by the contraction of the eyebrows in intense thought.The eyes, of a pale blue, were full and well formed; though, from the great projection of the superciliary ridge, they had the appearance of being hollow. Their habitual expression was stern; yet relieved, in some measure, by

the peculiar shape of the chestnut-coloured brows, which i rose to an angle in the centre, and then lessened so suddenly that they seemed, to an imaginative observer, to fade away rather than terminate. The nose was large, of the shape usually known as Roman, and slightly droop. ing over the upper lip. As to the lips,-they were rather thin; but very expressive and yet it puzzled you to decide what their expression was exactly.-The satiric curve was there, however, and something too of the smile of humour.-Add two wrinkles-one running from the nostril to about a quarter of an inch below the mouth; the other from the angle of the chin (and a very manly chin it was too!) to the same extent above it—and you complete a face, of which the features, taken separately, were expressive, but together-were striking.

These particulars are not wholly the result of a first observation; for my uncle, the moment he heard my step, opened in usual style :

"Hullo, boy! are you there? Come in, you puppy; and don't stand dilly-dallying at the door! here's your uncle, Doctor Tim!-Why! what does the man stare at? Come nearer, you lubber!-Well, Tim, isn't he a damned goodlooking fellow? Not quite stout enough; but just such another as I was at his age, heh Tim?-What think you of spreading plasters, you jackanapes? and mixing vomits? and applying clysters, heh? What say you to tying M.D. to your name, like brother Tim here? You can kill people then by the hundreds, and-blast you, keep off my toe!—and never be called to a reckoning for it :-fine sport that!-What say you, man? We've settled the matter between us, Tim and I, and only want your "yes." -Why, what in the devil's name does the fool gape at ?"

And I was indeed "gaping," as my uncle chose to call it; for the news came like a thunder-stroke. Not that I expected, or desired, to be maintained in idleness; but the fact is-it had not as yet occurred to me that I must

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form some plan for a livelihood. Hitherto I had passed my time much to my satisfaction: and it was my nature to laugh to-day and care not for to-morrow. I looked at my uncle Jerry, and saw he was waxing impatient: I turned to my uncle Tim, and discovered a smile by no means flattering to my vanity.—Well, it is all one to me -thought I-what profession I follow; so, "Uncle,"I said aloud-"I am perfectly willing to adopt any plan es of life you think best for me. I hit the nail right,

then.

"Spoken like a man! Curse me, but I thought you were a good enough fellow in the main, Jerry! Only a little fond of dissipation or so-just like me when I was of your age!-Well, well! boys will be boys, all the world over-heh, brother Tim?”—and a smile, like a sunbeam, lighted up the rough features of the kind old man, as the recollections of his boyhood came thronging upon him but, in an instant, a cloud of sadness threw its dark shadow over the brilliant track-and the sunbeam vanished. What wonder?-he had known misfortune at an earlier age than mine. However, there is luckily some good in every thing :-The transient gloom which affected one uncle afforded an opportunity of speaking to the other.

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Jeremy," said the doctor, in a voice and manner that suited well his appearance, 'your uncle has informed me of the circumstances, under which you are indebted to his protection. You have acted, sir, in a manner highly censurable in any young man, and especially in one with the abilities of which I am willing to believe you possessed. The only way to make up for the folly of such conduct is by a determination to act for the future as becomes a man: and such a deportment, sir, I shall expect, and will exact, if you put yourself under my instruction. You have heard the proposal of my brother. To it I have no objection, as it concerns myself; but, as it regards your happiness, I think it my duty to discourage

you from the study of medicine.-I tell you, Jeremy, as an uncle-as a friend-you might better be a shoe-black -any thing, rather than a physician: and more, I assure you, with the voice of thirty years' experience, that were I to commence life anew, I would cleanse the streets of London before the stomachs of the sick.

"Of all professions, that of medicine is the most anxious, the most disgustful, the most thankless. Forced to humour the capricious, to soothe the irritable, to persuade the headstrong; to mingle in scenes, which even familiarity cannot divest of their loathsomeness; to feel the gnawing of anxiety, when fathers, husbands, and brothers confide their dearest interests to your skill—still more, when with the life of your patient your own repu tion lies at stake-and then, when all is done that man can do, to have your services requited with a grudging hand, and unthankful heart,-such is the life of a physician! Nay, even in the eyes of those, who should know how to appreciate your merits, you will find that the discharge of the pecuniary debt cancels all obligation. As if money could repay such services as ours! Remember Jeremy, I speak of the better (would I could say the greater!) part of the profession for as for those, whose only object is to earn a living, who would draw the last drop from the veins of their victim, could they but coin it into goldNephew! a quack you shall not be! I will bury you with this hand first!

"Believe me, this is no fanciful picture. If you have genius, if you be of an impatient temper, if your character be proud and finely sensitive, I warn you-study not medicine. Yet I repeat:-as far as concerns myself, I have no objections; I am willing to instruct you: but weigh well what you do-lest you repent, when repentance will avail you nothing."

"Damn my eyes, brother Tim !"-roared my uncle Jeremy, whose "cloud of sadness" had vanished before the wind of the doctor's eloquence as a cloud of dust before

the breath of Molly's dusting-rag-"What a talk you make about nothing! Curse me, if your preaching isn't like one of

your doses; 'twould turn the stomach of a horse-if you could get him to swallow it. Why the devil can't you let the boy choose for himself, man ?-Don't you mind him, Jerry but take my advice, and study physic. There are hundreds in the profession who haven't half your brains; and they grow as rich as Jews. All you've to do is to keep clear of your dirty stuff yourself, and cram plenty of it down the guts of others, and they'll throw purse and all they have into your hands to get rid of it. I say-never mind your uncle's nonsense: only bleed, purge, starve, and give clysters in abundance, and you'll have your hands full ;-for grown people love to have a nasty frolic now and then, as well as children to build mud-pies; and a doctor, like a duellist, is always respected according to the number that he kills.—”

"Yes, nephew," said my aunt, who had been standing behind us unperceived, " Mr. Levis has pictured a sad reality; for, owing to the perversity of human nature, we are never disposed to”

"Hold your jaw, Polly Levis! What the devil do you know about it? Go tend to your own affairs, woman, and let the doctors alone!"

My aunt turned meekly round, as a dumpling in hot water; grumbled, no more than a hogshead when cursed for leaking; and waddled from the room, like a goose driven by grunts from a hog-pen. How differently would my mother have acted?

O female obedience! valuable in a mistress as peagreen eyes in a white rabbit, more beautiful in a wife than the scoured platters on a kitchen dresser,-more to be desired art thou than shrimp-sauce! yea, than much fine shrimp-sauce! sweeter too than currant-jelly and the currant-jelly bag!-Who, indeed, shall estimate thine excellence, obedience feminine? Thou needful utensil, for which we search in darkness and get knocked on the head for