“My father desired me, Sir, to _ax_ you,” said a physical disciple to a
certain eminent pharmacopolist, “that I might attend you to all your
patients, as you know, Sir, it is the last year of my time”---“You
shall, Bob, you shall,” replied the master; “Come, get your hat.” They
entered the sick man’s chamber, and the usual circumstances occurred,
such as feeling the pulse, _et cetera_; After assuming an appearance of
profound thought, the vender of galenicals told the wife of the sick
man, with much gravity, that her husband was in extreme danger, and that
she had contributed to his malady by giving him oysters: The woman, in
much confusion, at last owned the fact. When they had quitted the house,
Bob enquired with much earnestness of his master, how he could possibly
know that the patient had eaten oysters. “You foolish boy,” replied the
other, “I saw some shells under the bed.” The next time Bob went alone,
and returned to his master with a ghastly visage, and told him the
patient was dead by eating a horse---“A horse, Bob,” rejoined the
esculapian chief, “how do you know that?” “Oh, easy enough, Sir,
I looked under the bed, and saw a bridle and saddle!”
A Gentleman of Angiers, who did not trust to his memory, and wrote down
all that he was to do; wrote in his pocket-book, “Memorandum, that I
must be married when I come to Tours.”
Before the conquest by the Normans, the land in Norfolk was so light and
fine, that the farmers usually ploughed it with two rabbits and a case
knife.
* * * * *
* * * *
A GRAMMATICAL EPISTLE
To _Miss_ SALLY SYNTAX.