and of the world, I humbly move, that the incomparable Zuinger and Gesner, may appear as field-officers. A city Tauris were too mean a present for physicians of such distinguished merit. I propose them to imitation, that many may follow such examples. You know that Freher has brought on his theatre, nearly five hundred famous physicians, with some account of their lives and works; there are very few Britons among them, and none at all that lived to the end of the former century. What a vast addition might there be since made to that" list of honour," from the British nations! May an excellent ambition to be enrolled in it, excite those who have ability, to "do worthily!" Physicians have innumerable opportunities to assist the poor, and to give them advice gratis. It was a noble saying of Cicero, "Nil habet fortuna melius, quam ut possis, neque natura præstantius, quam ut velis, servare plures."* But I will set before you a higher consideration than that, with which a Pagan Kirker was ever acquainted. Sirs, the more charity, compassion, and condescension with which you treat the poor, the nearer will you approach to the greatest and highest of all glories ;-an imitation of your adorable Saviour. You will readily say, " Quod decuit Christum, cur mihi turpe putem ?"+ In comparison of this consolation, it will be a small thing to say to you, that your coming among the poor, will be to them like the descent of the Angel of Bethesda. We will not presume to prescribe to you, what good you shall do to the poor; but cannot have better fortune than to be able, nor a better temper than to be willing, to save many. * A man † Why should I esteem that mean, Which reflected honour on Christ. beg leave to enter an objection against your taking any fees on the Lord's day; because the time is not yours, but the Lord's. When we consider how much the lives of men are in the hands of God; what a dependance we have on the God of our health, for our cure when we have lost it; what strong and remarkable proofs we have had of angels, by their communications or operations, contributing to the cure of the diseases with which mortals have been oppressed; and the marvellous efficacy of prayer for the recovery of a sick brother who has not sinned a "sin unto death:"-what better thing can be recommended to a physician who desires a prayer to "do good," than this-to be a man of prayer. In your daily and secret prayer, carry every one of your patients, as you would your own children, to the glorious Lord our healer, for his healing mercies: place them, as far as your prayers will do it, under the beams of the "Sun of Righteousness." And as any new case of your patients may occur, especially if there be any difficulty in it, why should you not make your particular and solicitous application to heaven for direction :-" O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself, nor is it in man that walketh, to direct his steps; nor in man that healeth, to perform his cures." Hippocrates advised physicians, when they visited their patients, to consider whether there might not be something supernatural in the disease: "Divinum quiddam in morbo." Truly, in some sense, this is always the case, and should be so considered. What a heavenly life might you lead, if your profession were carried on with as many visits to heaven, as you pay to your patients!" One Jacob Tzaphalon, a famous Jew of the former century, published at Venice, a book intituled, "Precious Stones.". There are several prayers in the book, and among them a pretty long one, "For physicians when they go to visit their patients." That expression of the Psalmist, "Thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies," may be read, "Thou hast made me wise from mine enemies.' We ought to learn, even from an enemy; Fas est, et ab hoste." Surely christianity will not, in her devotions, fall short of Judaism! We read that "Heaviness in the heart of man, maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad. A cheerful heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones." Baglivi is not the only physician who has made the obser→ vation," That a great many of our diseases, either arise from a weight of cares lying on the minds of men, or are thereby increased. Some diseases that seem incurable, are easily cured by agreeablé conversation. Disorders of the mind first bring diseases on the stomach; and so the whole mass of blood gradually becomes infected ; and as long as the mental cause continues, the diseases may in. deed change their forms, but they rarely quit the patients." Tranquillity of mind will do wonderful things towards the relief of bodily maladies. It is not without reason that Hosman, in his dissertation, "Des Moyens de Vivre Long-temps," insists on tranquillity of mind as the chief among the "means to promote longevity ;" and says, that this is the meaning of that passage; "The fear of the Lord tendeth to life." They who have practised the "art of curing by expectation," have made experiments of what the mind will do towards the cure of the body: this may be also known by practising the " art of consolation." I propose then, that the physician endeavour to find out, by all possible ingenuity of conversation, what matter of anxiety there may have been upon the mind of the patient, that has rendered his life burdensome. Having discovered the burden, use all possible ways to take it off. Offer him such thoughts as may be the best anodynes for his distressed mind; especially the "right thoughts of the righteous," and the means of obtaining composure of mind upon religious principles. Give him a prospect, if you can, of some deliverance from his distresses, or some abatement of them. Excite in him as pleasing thoughts as possible: scatter the clouds, and remove the loads with which his mind is perplexed; especially by representing and magnifying the mercy of God in Christ to him. It is possible, sir, that in this way also, you may find abundant opportunities of usefulness, by doing yourself, or by bringing others to do kindness to the miserable. What should hinder you from considering the souls of your patients; their spiritual health; what they have done, and what they have to do, that they may be on good terms with heaven! You may take occasion, from their natural disorders, to affect your own mind and theirs also, with a sense of our corresponding moral ones. You may make your conversation with them, a vehicle for conveying such admonitions of piety, as may be most needful for them: that they may be found neither unprepared for death, nor unthankful and unfruit ful, if their lives should be prolonged. This you may do, without any intrusion on the office of the minister on the contrary, you may at the same time do a very good office for the minister, as well as for the patient; 'and may inform the minister, when, where, and how he may be very serviceable among the miserable, with whose cases he might otherwise remain unacquainted. The " art of healing" was, you know, first brought into a system, by men who had the "care of souls:" and I know not why they who profess that noble "art" should wholly cast off that "care." Perhaps you remember to have read of a king who was also a physician, (for other crowned heads, besides Mithridates, Hadrianus, and Constantinus Pogonatus have been so,) and who gave this reason why the Greeks had diseases among them which remained so much uncured; "Because they neglected their souls, the chief thing of all." For my part, I know not why the physician should wholly neglect the souls of his patients. I will not detain you much longer. You are not ignorant, that medicine once was, and in many unevangelised parts of the world is still esteemed a thing horribly magical. Celsus relates, as a part of the Egyptian philosophy current in his time, that the body of man was divided into thirty-six parts, each of which was the peculiar allotment and possession of a demon; and this demon was invoked by the Magi to cure diseases of the part that belonged to him. Even in Galen's time we find Egyptian Legerdemain practised: he himself writes of it. From Egypt other countries Prestigiaturas Ægyptias. |