furnished it neatly and respectably-fortunately enough let the first floor to a rich old East India bachelor-beheld "Dr." glisten conspicuously on my door-and then dropped my little line into the great waters of London, resolved to abide the issue with patience.

Blessed with buoyant and sanguine spirits, I did not lay it much to heart that my only occupation during the first six months was-abroad, to practise the pardonable solecism of hurrying haud passibus aquis through the streets, as if in attendance on numerous patients; and at home to ponder pleasantly over my books, and enjoy the company of my cheerful and affectionate wife. But when I had numbered twelve months, almost without feeling a pulse or receiving a fee, and was reminded by old L- that the second half-yearly instalment of 2251. was due, I began to look forward with some apprehension to the overcast future. Of the 3000l., for the use of which I was paying so cruel and exorbitant a premium, little more than half remained; and this notwithstanding we had practised the most rigid economy in our household expenditure, and devoted as little to dress as was compatible with maintaining a respectable exterior. To my sorrow, I found myself unavoidably contracting debts, which, with the interest due to old L, I found it would be impossible to discharge. If matters went on as they seemed to threaten, what was to become of me in a year or two? Putting every thing else out of the question, where was I to find funds to meet old L

-'s annual demand of 450l.? Relying on my prospects of professional success, I had bound myself to return the 3000l. within five years of the time of borrowing it; and now I thought I must have been mad to do so. If my profession failed me, I had nothing else to look to. I had no family resources; for my father had died since I came to London, very much embarrassed in his circum

stances; and my mother, who was aged and infirm, had gone to reside with some relatives, who were few and poor. My wife, as I have stated, was in like plight. I do not think she had a relative in England (for her father and all his family were Germans) except

Lord

the nobleman before mentioned, who I am sure would have rejoiced in assisting me, either by pecuniary advances or professional introductions, had been on the continent ever since I commenced practice. Being of studious habits and a very bashful and reserved disposition while at Cambridge, I could number but few college friends-none of whom I knew where to find in London. Neither my wife nor I knew more than five people besides our India lodger; for to tell the truth we were, like many a fond and foolish couple before us, all the world to one another, and cared little for scraping together promiscuous acquaintances. If we had even been inclined to visiting, our straitened circumstances would have forbid our incurring the expenses attached to it. What then was to be done? My wife would say, "Pho, love, we shall contrive to get on as well as our neighbours;" but the simple fact was, we were not getting on like our neighbours -nor did I see any prospect of our ever doing so. I began, therefore, to pass sleepless nights and days of despondency-casting about in every direction for any employment consistent with my profession, and redoubling my fruitless efforts to obtain practice.

It is almost laughable to say, that our only receipts were a few paltry guineas sent at long intervals from old Asperne, the proprietor of the European Magazine, as remuneration for a sort of monthly medical summary; and a trifle or two from

Mr. Nicholls, of the Gentleman's Magazine, as an acknowledgment for several sweet sonnets sent by my wife. Knowing the success which often attended professional authorship, as tending to acquire for the writer a reputation for skill in the subject of which he treated, and introduce him to the notice of the higher members of his own profession, I determined to turn my attention that way. For several months I was up early and late at a work on Diseases of the Lungs. I bestowed incredible pains on it; and my toil was sweetened by my wife, who would sit by me in the long summer evenings like an angel, consoling and encouraging me with predictions of success. She lightened my labour by undertaking the transcription of the manuscript; and I thought that two or three hundred sheets of fair and regular handwriting were heavily purchased by the impaired eyesight of the beloved amanuensis. When at length it was completed, having been read and revised twenty times, so that there was not a comma wanted, I hurried, full of fluttering hopes and fears, to a well-known medical bookseller, expecting he would at once purchase the copyright. Fifty pounds I had fixed in my own mind as the minimum of what I would accept; and I had already appropriated part of it towards buying a handsome silk dress for my wife. Alas! even in this branch of my profession my hopes were doomed to meet with disappointment. The bookseller received me with great civility; listened to every word I had to say; seemed to take some interest in the new views of the disease treated of, which I explained to him, and repeated, and ventured to assure him that they would certainly attract public attention. My heart leaped for joy as I saw his business-like eye settled upon me with an expression of attentive interest. After having almost talked myself hoarse, and flushed myself all over with excitement, he removed his spectacles, and politely assured me of his approB

bation of the work; but that he had determined never to publish any more medical works on his own account. I have the most vivid recollection of my almost turning sick with chagrin. With a faltering voice I asked him if that was his unalterable determination. He replied, it was; for he had "lost/ too much by speculations of that sort." I tied up the manuscript, and withdrew. As soon as I left his shop, I let fall a scorching tear of mingled sorrow and mortification. I could almost have wept aloud. At that moment whom should I meet but my dear wife; for we had both been talking all night long, and at breakfast-time, about the probable result of my interview with the bookseller; and her anxious affection would not permit her to wait my return. She had been pacing to and fro on the other side of the street, and flew to me on my leaving the shop. I could not speak to her; I felt almost choked. At last her continued expressions of tenderness and sympathy soothed me into a more equable frame of mind, and we returned to dinner. In the afternoon I offered it to another bookseller, who, John Trot like, told me at once he never did that sort of thing. I offered it subsequently to every medical bookseller I could find-with like success. One fat fellow actually whiffled out, "if he might make so bold," he would advise me to leave off book-making, and stick to my practice. Another assured me he had got two similar works then in the press; and the last I consulted told me I was too young, he thought, to have seen enough of practice for writing "a book of that nature," as his words were. "Publish it on your own account, love," said my wife. That, however, was out of the question, whatever might be the merits of the work-for I had no friends; and a kind-hearted bookseller, to whom I mentioned the project, assured me that if I went to press my work would fall from it stillborn. When I returned home from making this last attempt, I flung myself into a

chair by the fireside, opposite my wife, without speaking. There was an anxious smile of sweet solicitude in her face. My agitated and mortified air convinced her that I was finally disappointed, and that six months' hard labour was thrown away. In a fit of uncontrollable pique and passion I flung the manuscript on the fire; but Emily suddenly snatched it from the flames-gazed at me with a look such as none but a fond and devoted wife could give -threw her arms round my neck, and kissed me back to calmness, if not happiness. I laid the manuscript in question on a shelf in my study; and it was my first and last attempt at medical bookmaking.

From what cause or combination of causes I know not, but I seemed marked out for failure in my profession. Though my name shone on my door, and the respectable neighbourhood could not but have noticed the regularity and decorum of my habits and manners, yet none ever thought of calling me in! Had I been able to exhibit a line of carriages at my door-or to open my house for the reception of company-or to dash about town in an elegant equipage-or be seen at the opera and theatres, had I been able to do this the case might have been different. In candour I must acknowledge, that another probable cause of my ill-success was a somewhat insignificant person, and unprepossessing countenance. I could not wear such an eternal smirk of conceited complacency, or keep my head perpetually bowing mandarin-like, as many of my professional brothers; still there were thousands to whom these deficiencies proved no serious obstacles. The great misfortune in my case was undoubtedly the want of introductions. There was a man of considerable rank and great wealth, who was a sort of fiftieth cousin of mine, resided in one of the fashionable squares not far from me, and on whom I had called to claim kindred and solicit his patron