Clergymen and Doctors 2

Clergymen and Doctors 2

ADDISON'S INTRODUCTION TO BAXTER.

 

Addison says that he once met with a page of Mr. Baxter under a

Christmas pie. "Whether or no the pastry-cook had made use of it

through chance or waggery, for the defence of that superstitious

_viande_, I know not; but, upon the perusal of it, I conceived so good

an idea of the author's piety that I bought the whole book."

 

 

THE PARTNERSHIP OF HUNTER AND CULLEN.

 

Dr. William Cullen, the celebrated physician and medical writer, and

Dr. William Hunter, the brother of the great anatomist, when young men

formed a copartnery of as singular and noble a nature as any to be

found in the records of their profession. They were both natives of the

neighbourhood of Glasgow, and Hunter studied for the church at that

university. But he accidentally became acquainted with Cullen, who was

some years his senior, and had settled in a medical practice at

Hamilton; and this friendship, strengthening his natural inclination,

drew Hunter away from the study of theology to that of medicine. He

went to reside with Cullen, and entered into partnership with

him--neither of the young men being well to do, and both stimulated by

the impulse of genius to take this step in order that they might the

better overcome the obstacles presented by the narrowness of their

fortunes to the prosecution of their studies. It was stipulated that

each partner alternately should be allowed to study during the winter

at what college he pleased, the other meantime conducting the joint

business for the common advantage. Cullen, as the senior partner, had

the first winter, and he went to Edinburgh. But next winter Hunter's

turn came: he preferred London to Edinburgh, went thither, and did not

return to Scotland. His excellence as a dissector, singular dexterity

in making anatomical preparations, assiduity in study, and agreeable

manners, won him the warm regard of Dr. Douglas, to whom he had an

introduction from Foulis the printer; and in two or three years Hunter

became a lecturer on anatomy, and laid the foundations of a great fame

and fortune. The scientific partnership was of course dissolved by

Hunter's success in London; but Cullen freely consented to renounce his

claim on his junior, and ever afterwards maintained a very cordial and

friendly correspondence with Hunter--though the two friends are

believed never afterwards to have seen each other.

 

 

THE EXHAUSTIVE BARROW.

 

Charles II., in his humorous fashion, was wont to say about his

chaplain--that distinguished philosopher and divine, Dr. Isaac

Barrow--that he was the most unfair preacher in England, because he

exhausted every subject, and left no room for others to come after him.

This was indeed too much the doctor's characteristic; when he had once

got hold of a topic, he knew not how to leave anything unsaid upon it.

One of his best discourses, on the duty and reward of bounty to the

poor, actually occupied between three and four hours in the delivery.

Although, however, his sermons are unusually long, they so abound in

matter, that his language sometimes labours in the utterance of his

thought; hence his style is at times involved and parenthetical, though

passages of sublime and simple eloquence frequently occur. It is

related that, in preaching the Spital sermon before the Lord Mayor and

Corporation, he consumed three hours and a half. Being asked, after he

came down from the pulpit, if he was not tired, he replied, "Yes,

indeed, I begin to be weary in standing so long."

 

 

A POPULAR PREACHER.

 

When Father Thomas Conecte, who was afterwards burnt at Rome, preached

in the great towns of Flanders and Artois, the churches were so filled

that he used to be hoisted in the middle of the church by a cord, in

order to be heard!

 

 

"ATTERBURY'S PAD."

 

During the debates on the Occasional Conformity and Schism Bills, in

the House of Lords, in December 1718, these measures were very warmly

opposed by Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester; who said "he had prophesied

last winter that this bill would be attempted in the next session, and

he was very sorry to find that he had turned out a true prophet." Lord

Coningsby, who always spoke in a passion, rose immediately after

Atterbury, and remarked that "one of the right reverends had set

himself forth as a prophet; but, for his part, he did not know what

prophet to liken him to, unless to that famous prophet Balaam, who was

reproved by his own ass." The Bishop, in reply, with great calmness and

wit met the attack of Lord Coningsby, thus concluding: "Since the noble

Lord has discovered in our manners such a similitude, I am well content

to be compared to the prophet Balaam; but, my Lords, I am at a loss to

make out the other part of the parallel. I am sure that I have been

_reproved by nobody but his Lordship_." From that day forward, Lord

Coningsby was known by the sobriquet of "Atterbury's Pad."

 

 

THE FOOT-SCRAPERS REPROVED.

 

When a preacher was very obnoxious to the students at Cambridge, it was

the custom for them to express disapprobation by scraping with their

feet on the floor. A very eloquent but intriguing preacher, Dr. James

Scott--known as a political partisan by the pamphleteer and newspaper

signatures of "Anti-Sejanus" and "Old Slyboots"--being one day saluted

thus, signified his intention to preach against the practice of

scraping; and fulfilled his promise very shortly afterwards, taking for

his text, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be

more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they

consider not that they do evil." On the text being read out, the

galleries became one scene of confusion and uproar; but Dr. Scott

called to the proctors to preserve silence. This being effected, he

delivered a discourse so eloquent, as to extort universal approbation,

even from those at whom the text was aimed.

 

 

A PREscRIPTION IN DISGUISE.

 

General D---- was more distinguished for gallantry in the field than

for the care he lavished upon his person. Complaining, on a certain

occasion, to Chief Justice Bushe, of Ireland, of the sufferings he

endured from rheumatism, that learned and humorous judge undertook to

prescribe a remedy. "You must desire your servant," he said to the

General, "to place every morning by your bedside a tub three-parts

filled with warm water. You will then get into the tub, and having

previously provided yourself with a pound of yellow soap, you must rub

your whole body with it, immersing yourself occasionally in the water,

and at the end of a quarter of an hour, the process concludes by wiping

yourself dry with towels, and scrubbing your person with a

flesh-brush." "Why," said the General, after reflecting for a minute or

two, "this seems to be neither more nor less than washing one's self."

"Well, I must confess," rejoined the judge, "_it is open to that

objection_."

 

 

HOW TO DRESS A CUCUMBER.

 

Dr. Glynn, of Cambridge, being one day in attendance on a lady, in the

quality of her physician, took occasion to lecture her on the

impropriety of eating cucumbers, of which she was immoderately fond;

and gave her the following humorous receipt for dressing them: "Peel

the cucumber with great care; then cut it into very thin slices; pepper

and salt it well--and then throw it away."

 

 

GILPIN AND THE NORTHUMBRIAN BRAWLERS.

 

Bernard Gilpin, the great Northern apostle, did not confine his labours

to the church of Houghton-le-Spring, of which he was minister; but at

his own expense, and with great risk and hardship, visited the then

desolate churches of Northumberland once every year, usually about

Christmas, to preach the gospel. The Northumbrians about that time

retained so much of the customs of our Saxon ancestors, as to decide

every dispute by the sword; they even went beyond them, and, not

content with a duel, each contending party used to muster what

adherents he could, and began a kind of petty war, so that a private

grudge would often occasion much bloodshed. In one of his annual tours,

Mr. Gilpin found a quarrel of this kind raging at Rothbury. During the

first two or three days of his preaching, the contending parties

observed some decorum, and never came to church both at the same time.

At last, however, they met; one party had come early, and just as Mr.

Gilpin began the sermon the other entered. They did not stand long

quiet, but, mutually enraged at the sight of each other, began to clash

their arms. Awed, however, by the sacredness of the place, the tumult

somewhat fell, and Mr. Gilpin could proceed with his sermon. In a short

time, however, the combatants anew brandished their weapons, and

approached each other. Mr. Gilpin now came down from the pulpit, went

between the two parties, and, appealing to the chiefs, stayed the

quarrel for the time, though he could not perfectly reconcile them.

They promised that until the sermon was over there should be no further

disturbance. Mr. Gilpin then remounted the pulpit, and devoted the rest

of the time to endeavour to make the combatants ashamed of their

behaviour; and his courage and earnestness so much affected them, that

at his further entreaty they agreed to abstain from all acts of

hostility while he continued in the country. Another time, when he

entered the church, Mr. Gilpin saw a glove hanging up, and was told by

the sexton that it was as a challenge to any one that should take it

down. The sexton refusing to take it down, because he "dared not," Mr.

Gilpin procured a long staff, took it down himself, and put it in his

breast. When the congregation assembled, he went into the pulpit, and

took occasion severely to rebuke these inhuman challenges, and

especially this fashion of hanging up the glove in church. "I hear,"

said he, "that there is one among you who even in this sacred place

hath hanged up a glove to this purpose, and threateneth to enter into

combat with whosoever shall take it down. Behold, I have taken it down

myself!" and, plucking the glove out of his breast, he held it up

before them all, and again proceeded to condemn such barbarous

fashions, and to commend the practice of love and charity. So much did

his faithfulness win for him respect, and soften the stern mood of the

country folk, that so often as he came into the parts where he had

administered these rebukes, if any man was in fear of a deadly foe, he

resorted usually where Mr. Gilpin was, supposing himself to be more

safe in his company than under an armed guard.

 

 

MASSES TRANSFERRED.

 

Bernal Diaz relates, that while Cortes was absent on his expedition

against Christoval d'Oli, his death was reported by men who assumed the

government at Mexico; they ordered ceremonies and masses for his soul,

and paid for them with his effects. When he returned in safety, Juan de

Caceres, "the rich," bought all these acts of devotion for his own

benefit--like some modern buyer of shares, expecting a regular entry of

the transfer to be made in the books of the concern in which he

invested.

 

 

PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE OF ABSTINENCE.

 

John Wesley having learned that a wealthy tradesman of his

neighbourhood indulged to excess in the pleasures of the table, paid

him a visit, and, discussing the subject with him, urged every argument

and every passage of scripture he could against the sin of gluttony.

Observing the tradesman silent and thoughtful, Wesley flattered himself

that he had gained his point and produced the desired reformation. The

dinner cloth was by this time spread, and sumptuous elegance decorated

the board. Mr. Wesley was asked to dine; and having consented, was thus

addressed by his host: "Sir, your conversation has made such an

impression on me, that henceforward I shall live only on bread and

water; and to show you that I am in good earnest, I will begin

immediately." The dinner was then ordered to be removed, and bread and

water introduced; to the disappointment of the preacher, who, although

an abstemious man, wished for something better than an anchorite's fare.

 

 

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S BLOOD JEWELS.

 

In the _Parliamentary History_, under date of 1601, the Lord Keeper is

reported to say: "I have seen her Majesty wear at her girdle the price

of her blood; I mean, jewels which have been given to her physicians to

have done that unto her which I hope God will ever keep from her. But

she hath rather worn them in triumph, than for the price, which hath

not been greatly valuable."

 

 

THE POWER OF TAR-WATER.

 

Doctor Hill, a notorious wit, physician, and man of letters, having

quarrelled with the members of the Royal Society, who had refused to

admit him as an associate, resolved to avenge himself. At the time that

Bishop Berkeley had issued his work on the marvellous virtues of

tar-water, Hill addressed to their secretary a letter, purporting to be

from a country surgeon, and reciting the particulars of a cure which he

had effected. "A sailor," he wrote, "broke his leg, and applied to me

for help. I bound together the broken portions, and washed them with

the celebrated tar-water. Almost immediately the sailor felt the

beneficial effects of this remedy, and it was not long before his leg

was completely healed!" The letter was read and discussed at the

meetings of the Royal Society, and caused considerable difference of

opinion. Papers were written for and against the tar-water and the

restored leg, when a second letter arrived from the (pretended) country

practitioner: "In my last I omitted to mention that the broken limb of

the sailor was a wooden leg!"

 

 

THE CURATE AND THE DUKE.

 

The Duke of Grafton, when hunting, was thrown into a ditch; at the same

time a young curate, calling out, "Lie still, your Grace," leaped over

him, and pursued his sport. On being assisted to remount by his

attendants, the duke said, "That young man shall have the first good

living that falls to my disposal; had he stopped to have taken care of

me, I never would have patronised him"--being delighted with an ardour

similar to his own, and with a spirit that would not stoop to flatter.

 

 

A LOYAL AND FATAL PRAYER.

 

It is related by Thoresby that Mr. John Jackson, a good old Puritan,

and a member of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, "was yet so

zealously affected for King Charles I., when he heard of his being

brought before a pretended high court of justice, that he prayed

earnestly that God would please to prevent that horrid act, which would

be a perpetual shame to the nation, and a reproach to the Protestant

religion; or, at least, would be pleased to remove him, that he might

not see the woful day. His prayer was heard and answered as to himself,

for he was buried the week before" the execution of Charles took place.

 

 

FLAVEL'S "DAY OF HEAVEN."

 

This distinguished Nonconformist divine, who lived about the end of the

seventeenth century, in his _Treatise on the Soul of Man_ relates of

himself--so at least it is understood, though he speaks in the third

person--that for a day he was wrapt in such intimate spiritual

communion with heaven, as exhausted the powers of physical nature, and

for a time appeared to leave him on the brink of the grave. This

singular season of trance he used to style "one of the days of heaven;"

and he affirmed, that in that time there came to him more insight into

the heavenly life, than he had all his days gained from books or

sermons.

 

"Being on a journey, he set himself to improve his time by meditation;

when his mind grew intent, till at length he had such ravishing tastes

of heavenly joys, and such full assurance of his interest therein, that

he utterly lost the sight and sense of this world and all its concerns,

so that for hours he knew not where he was. At last, perceiving himself

faint through a great loss of blood from his nose, he alighted from his

horse, and sat down at a spring, where he washed and refreshed himself,

earnestly desiring, if it were the will of God, that he might then

leave the world. His spirits reviving, he finished his journey in the

same delightful frame. He passed all that night without a wink of

sleep, the joy of the Lord still overflowing him, so that he seemed an

inhabitant of the other world." It was taken by his religious friends

as a special promise of heavenly favour, that at the birth of Flavel a

pair of nightingales made their nest close to the chamber of his

mother, and welcomed him into the world with their delightful warble.

 

 

A ROYAL MEDICINE.

 

Even so late as the days of Queen Elizabeth, ignorance and superstition

continued prime regulating powers in the practice of physic;

accomplished as some of the physicians of the day were, it was, as Lord

Bacon has affirmed, in every department excepting those that

immediately touched their own profession. Sir William Bulleyn was not

one of the least prominent and enlightened; but some of the

prescriptions which he has left on record, attest a very deplorable

state of things, existing little more than half a century before Harvey

achieved his great discovery. Take for example this recipe for an

 

 

"_Electuarium de Gemmis._"

 

"Take two drachms of white perles; two little peeces of saphyre;

jacinth, corneline, emerauldes, granettes, of each an ounce; setwal,

the sweate roote doronike, the rind of pomecitron, mace, basel seede,

of each two drachms; of redde corall, amber, shaving of ivory, of each

two drachms; rootes both of white and red behen, ginger, long peper,

spicknard, folium indicum, saffron, cardamon, of each one drachm; of

troch. diarodon, lignum aloes, of each half a small handful; cinnamon,

galinga, zurubeth, which is a kind of setwal, of each one drachm and a

half; thin pieces of gold and sylver, of each half a scruple; of musk,

half a drachm. Make your electuary with honey emblici, which is the

fourth kind of mirobalans with roses, strained in equall partes, as

much as will suffice. This healeth cold diseases of ye braine, harte,

stomack. It is a medicine proved against the tremblynge of the harte,

faynting and souning, the weaknes of the stomacke, pensivenes,

solitarines. Kings and noble men have used this for their comfort. It

causeth them to be bold-spirited, the body to smell wel, and ingendreth

to the face good coloure."

 

 

A SIGNIFICANT INTERPOLATION.

 

The most celebrated wits and _bon vivants_ of the day graced the dinner

table of Dr. Kitchener, and _inter aliis_ George Colman, who was an

especial favourite. His interpolation of a little monosyllable in a

written admonition, which the Doctor caused to be placed on the

mantlepiece of the dining parlour, will never be forgotten, and was the

origin of such a drinking bout as was seldom permitted under his roof.

The caution ran thus: "Come at seven, go at eleven." Colman briefly

altered the sense of it; for, upon the Doctor's attention being

directed to the card, he read, to his astonishment, "Come at seven, _go

it_ at eleven!" which the guests did, and the claret was punished

accordingly.

 

 

THE SEAMAN-BISHOP.

 

Dr. Lyons, who was appointed to the Bishopric of Cork, Cloyne, and

Ross, towards the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, held the See for

twenty years, but only preached once--on the death of the Queen. His

aversion to preaching is ascribed to the fact that he was not educated

for the church. He was, indeed, captain of a ship, and distinguished

himself so gallantly in several actions with the Spaniards, that, on

his being introduced to the Queen, she told him that he should have the

first vacancy that offered. The simple captain understood the Queen

literally; and soon after, hearing of a vacancy in the See of Cork, he

immediately set out for Court, and claimed the fulfilment of the royal

promise. The Queen, astonished at the request, for a time remonstrated

against the impropriety of it, and said that she could never think it a

suitable office for him. It was, however, in vain; he pleaded the royal

promise, and relied on it. The Queen then said she would take a few

days to consider the matter; when, examining into his character, and

finding that he was a sober, moral man, as well as an intrepid

commander, she sent for him, and gave him the Bishopric, saying that

she "hoped he would take as good care of the Church, as he had done of the State."