one-pound-one, or even less! And when expectation stands on tip-toe for another such event, what do we then behold? Doubtless the same doctor doing the same thing for the same fee? No such thing: but another doctor- and another and another in succession! Such is human gratitude.

Why, your house-dog would be more grateful for the trifling care bestowed upon him than is creation's lord!

I have often known the greatest services requited with ingratitude; and I have even known a patient seek a cause of quarrel with a doctor to escape the recognition of some act of kindness. The low and grovelling mind is very apt to think it can discharge its debts of gratitude by merely putting the imposing name of Brown, or Jones, or Robinson upon a banker's cheque!

But of all the incomprehensible misdoings of the wealthier classes, the right which they assume to enter the poor man's cottage without invitation or permission, is to me the most unaccountable and the most unpardonable. Every

poor man's door should be as much a barrier to intrusion as the rich man's gate. But when the sanctity of home is doubly hallowed by misfortune, suffering, or death or death-mere curiosity should shrink from lifting up the sacred screen which

hides from human gaze the sorrowing eye. Nothing can justify this thoughtless, impudent indecency, which is daily practised by the rich and vulgar, who assume a right to dictate to the poor whenever affliction or distress has bent them to the earth; but who never darken— even with their shadow-the labourer's door, unless attracted by the wail of sorrow or the gloom of death.

I have seen this curiosity indulged in to a great extent; and I have heard the poor complain of this unfeeling encroachment of the rich -not to afford relief-but to remonstrate on some fancied improvidence or waste. I should be sorry to breathe a word against visiting the helpless and distressed for proper objects and at proper times. I simply raise my voice against the prying curiosity of the ill-disposed, whoin Religion's name—approach the suffering poor, and endeavour to destroy their confidence in the doctor's skill on purpose to suggest some favourite doctor of their own. This leads me to another species of interference with the doctor's vocation -I mean the clerical.

There is in many places, unfortunately, a very bad feeling between the clergy and the medical Their respective duties lead them to the same stream—the ebbing stream of life—when

men.

The

they not unfrequently arrive together. doctor considering that his patient's interests require that no one should trouble or disturb the stream but himself, leaves an injunction not to allow any one to see the patient without his express permission; on the clergyman's next visit he is duly apprised of the doctor's desire, and too frequently takes offence, and becomes the doctor's bitterest enemy-weakening his influence with patients, and never omitting an opportunity of recommending some other medical man in his stead. Now this is a most undesirable and unchristian state of things, and generally occurs among the more juvenile members of the respective professions-upon many occasions it has even become a public scandal. With the discreet and experienced minister such things never occur, and the well-timed and consoling influence of religion, prudently introduced, will often materially aid the recovery of a patient, by soothing the mind and inspiring additional confidence in the medical treatment. But, beneficial as may be the influence of religion when discreetly introduced by the able, conscientious minister of God, what medical man of experience has not occasionally seen his patient's chances of recovery destroyed, beyond all hope, by the noisy, boisterous, I had almost said blas

phemous exhortations of certain sects? I have myself witnessed the most extraordinary scenes in the cottage sick-room. What can be more degrading than to see that most solemn of all ceremonies, imploring pardon for a guilty soul, burlesqued, as burlesqued it undoubtedly is, by these poor, infatuated, and fanatical people? Picture to yourself a dying patient, whose prostrate form, upon the confines of eternity, needs but the shadow of a shock to roll it o'er the brinkevery precaution which human forethought could devise has been taken by the doctor to prevent that dreaded agitation of the delicately balanced scales of life. And then-picture to yourself,

"Beside the bed where parting life is laid,"

a lank and meagre figure dress'd in black-sitting bestride a chair, his face towards its backcommencing in a low and muttering voice some form of prayer-and then, with growing "accents wild," raising his deep sepulchral voice as if to drown a whirlwind's roar-clutching the chair -gesticulating with wildest energy-stamping, clapping, gasping, singing, raving, sobbing, storming, and then-swooning from mere physical exhaustion!

The doctor arrives, perhaps, just as this solemn farce is concluded: he draws near to

D

his patient's bed, and hears from the "last faltering accents" of his lips,-"Doctor-their noise has been too much for me."

I have several times entered a house as these men were concluding their fanatical strugglesI have seen them streaming with perspiration and contending for their breath, and upon more than one occasion a fractured chair has borne testimony to the fearful violence of that convulsive struggle which is vulgarly denominated "wrestling with Christ." These, of course, are extreme cases, but medical men have almost every grade to deal with; and this, perhaps, leads them into the habit of excluding visitors from the sick -room somewhat too rigidly and unceremoniously. The more thoughtful and influential clergy will, however, make every allowance for the difficulty of a doctor's position.

Officious interference with the doctor's vocation is not confined to the prying curious, and the inferior clergy. There are some medical men, even, who assume greater learning and discernment than their brethren, and who presume to dictate to a doctor through his patient's friends. This system is most indelicate, to say the least of it, it is an indication either of excessive arrogance, or of a desire to be called in to see the case: but never consent to the latter,