method of showing his parts, but by little variations and repetitions of the man's words whom he attacks. But the truth of it is, the paper before me, not only in this particular, but in its very essence, is like Ovid's echo: Quæ nec reticere loquenti, Nec prior ipsa loqui didicit. I should not have deserved the character of a Censor, had I not animadverted upon the above-mentioned author by a gentle chastisement: but I know my reader will not pardon me, unless I declare, that nothing of this nature for the future (unless it be written with some wit) shall divert me from my care of the public." No. 240. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1710. Ad populum phaleras. PERS, From my own Apartment, October 20. I Do not remember that in any of my lucubrations I have touched upon that useful science of physic, notwithstanding I have declared myself more than once a professor of it.1 I have indeed joined the study of astrology with it, because I never knew a physician recommend himself to the public who had not 1 V. letter of Cato Junior. Tatler No. 195.-G. a The caustic severity of this, and the preceding paper, is the more felt for being conveyed in all the softness of good-humour.-To possess extraordinary talents for personal ridicule, and to be shy of appearing in this dazzling character, is, I think, a praise peculiar to Virgil, and Mr. Addison. It is but from two or three lines in the Roman poet, and from two or three occasional papers, in the large and miscellaneous works of our author, that either is known to have been the keenest satyrist of his time; Horace, and Swift, not excepted. a sister art to embellish his knowledge in medicine. It has beer. commonly observed in compliment to the ingenious of our profession, that Apollo was god of verse as well as physic; and in all ages the most celebrated practitioners of our country were the particular favourites of the muses. Poetry to physic is indeed like the gilding to a pill; it makes the art shine, and covers the severity of the doctor with the agreeableness of the companion. The very foundation of poetry is good sense, if we may allow Horace to be a judge of the art. Scribendi recte sapere est, et principium, et fons: And if so, we writes well can study of both. have reason to believe, that the same man who prescribe well, if he has applied himself to the Besides, when we see a man making profession of two different sciences, it is natural for us to believe he is no pretender in that which we are not judges of, when we find him skilful in that which we understand. Ordinary quacks and charlatans are thoroughly sensible how necessary it is to support themselves by these collateral assistances, and therefore always lay their claim to some supernumerary accomplishments which are wholly foreign to their profes sion. 6 About twenty years ago, it was impossible to walk the streets without having an advertisement thrust into your hand, of a doctor who was arrived at the knowledge of the green and red dragon, and had discovered the female fern seed' Nobody ever knew what this meant; but the green and red dragon so amused the people, that the doctor lived very comfortably upon them. About the same time there was pasted a very hard word upon every corner of the streets. This, to the best of my remembrance, was a Were. Rather have been.” When. To avoid an ungraceful repetition, he should have said- if we find." TETRACHYMAGOGON. which drew great shoals of spectators about it, who read the bill that it introduced with unspeakable curiosity; and when they were sick, would have nobody but this learned man for their physician. I once received an advertisement of one who had studied thirty years by candle-light for the good of his countrymen.' He might have studied twice as long by day-light, and never have been taken notice of: but elucubrations cannot be overvalued. There are some who have gained themselves great reputation for physic by their birth, as the 'seventh son of a seventh son;' and others by not being born at all, as the 'unborn doctor,' who, I hear, is lately gone the way of his patients, having died worth five hundred pounds per annum, though he was not 'born' to a halfpenny. My ingenious friend Dr. Saffold,' succeeded my old contemporary Dr. Lilly in the studies both of physic and astrology, to which he added that of poetry, as was to be seen both upon the sign where he lived, and in the bills which he distributed. He was succeeded by Doctor Case, who erased the verses of his predecessor out of the sign-post, and substituted in their stead two of his own, which were as follow: Within this Place Lives Doctor Case. He is said to have got more by this distich, than Mr. Dryden did by all his works. There would be no end of enumerating the several imaginary perfections and unaccountable artifices by which this tribe of men ensnare the minds of the vulgar, and gain crowds of admirers. I have seen the whole front of a mountebank's stage from one end to the other faced with patent certificates, medals, and 1 For this and the other allusions in this number, V. Nichols's notes - G great seals, by which the several princes of Europe have testified their particular respect and esteem for the doctor. Every great man with a sounding title has been his patient. I believe I have seen twenty mountebanks that have given physic to the Czar of Muscovy. The great Duke of Tuscany escapes no better. The Elector of Brandenburg was likewise a very good patient. This great condescension of the doctor draws upon him much good-will from his audience; and it is ten to one, but if any of them be troubled with an aching tooth, his ambition will prompt him to get it drawn by a person, who has had so many princes, kings, and emperors, under his hands. I must not leave this subject without observing, that as physicians are apt to deal in poetry, apothecaries endeavour tc recommend themselves by oratory, and are therefore, without controversy, the most eloquent persons in the whole British nation. I would not willingly discourage any of the arts, especially that of which I am an humble professor; but I must confess for the good of my native country, I could wish there might be a suspension of physic for some years, that our kingdom, which has been so much exhausted by the wars, might have leave to recruit itself. As for myself, the only physic which has brought me safe to almost the age of man, and which I prescribe to all my friends, is abstinence. This is certainly the best physic for prevention, and very often the most effectual against the1 present distemper In short, my recipe is, 'Take nothing.' I re Were the body politic to be physicked like particular persons, I should venture to prescribe to it after the same manner. member when our whole island was shaken with an earthquake some years ago, there was an impudent mountebank who sold 1 A present in Nichols's edition. V. Tat. 148 and note page 233, rf N.'s ed.-G. pills, which (as he told the country people) were very good against an earthquake. It may perhaps be thought as absurd to prescribe a diet for the allaying popular commotions, and national ferments. But I am verily persuaded, that if in such a case a whole people were to enter into a course of abstinence, and eat nothing but water-gruel for a fortnight, it would abate the rage and animosity of parties, and not a little contribute to the cure of a distracted nation. Such a fast would have a natural tendency to the procuring of those ends for which a fast is usually proclaimed. If any man has a mind to enter on such a voluntary abstinence, it might not be improper to give him the caution of Pythagoras in particular. "Abstine a fabis." That is, say the interpreters, meddle not with elections: beans having been made use of by the voters among the Athenians in the choice of magistrates. No. 243. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1710 Infert se septis nebula, mirabile dictu Per medios, miscetque viris, neque cernitur ulli.—VIRG. From my own Apartment, October 27. I HAVE Somewhere made mention of Gyges's ring,' and intimated to my reader that it was at present in my possession, though I have not since made any use of it. The tradition concerning this ring is very romantic, and taken notice of both by Plato and Tully, who each of them make an admirable use of it for the advancement of morality. This Gyges was the master shepherd to King Candaules. As he was wandering over the plains of Lydia, he 1 V. Tatler 138-N. |