Nugcs Chirurgic(By 8^, 345 



never exceeded by the followinpf exhibition of it, between the 

 Duke of Ormond and a German Baron. 



" Tlie Duke of Ormond and a certain German Baron were both 

 considered models of pride and politeness. When the Duke per- 

 ceived that he was dying, he desired that he might be seated in 

 his elbow chair, and then, turning to the Baron, with great cour- 

 teousnesSi he requested that he would excuse any unseemly con- 

 tortions of feature, as his physicians assured him, that he must 

 soon struggle with the last pangs. ' My dear Lord Duke,' replied 

 the Baron, with equal politeness ^ * I beg you will be on no cere- 

 mony on my account !' ' 



« BAILLIE, 



*' Not Matthew Baillie, but an Irish gentleman who had been 

 rejected by the College, called the next day on Dr. Barrowby, who 

 was one of the censors, and insisted upon his fighting him. Bar- 

 rowby, who was a little puny man, declined it. ' I am only the 

 third censor,' said he, * in point of age — you must first call out 

 your own countryman. Sir Hans Sloane, our president, and when 

 you have fought him and the two senior censors, then I shall be 

 ready to meet you.' 



" Many medical duels have been prevented by the difficulty of 

 arranging the ' methodus pugnandi.' In the instance of Dr. 

 Brocklesby, the number of paces could not be agreed upon ; and 

 in the affair between Akenside and Ballow, one had determined 

 never to fight in the morning, and the other that he would never 

 fight in the afternoon. John Wilkes, who did not stand upon 

 ceremony in these little affairs, when asked by Lord Talbot, 

 * How many times they were to fire ?' replied, ' Just as often as 

 your Lordship pleases ; I have brought a bag of bullets and a flask 

 of gunpowder y* 



♦* WOODVILLE. 



" Dr. Joseph Adams, who was much with Woodville just before 

 his death, used to relate several traits of his firmness and seeming 

 unconcern with respect to death. Woodville lived in lodgings 

 at a carpenter's in Ely-place, and Adams, a few days before his 

 death, advised the matron of the Small-pox Hospital to invite him 

 to have a bed made up there, that he might be better attended to: 

 this she did, and Woodville accepted it. He observed to Adams, 

 the next day, that he was a poor man come to die at the hospital, 

 and he remarked, that some of those who called on him flattered 

 him with hopes of his getting better. * But I am not so silly,' he 

 said, * as to mind what they say ; I know my own case too well, 

 and that I am dying. A younger man with better stamina might 

 think it hard to die ; but why should I regret leaving such a 

 diseased, worn-out carcase as mine ?' 



** The carpenter with whom he lodged had not been always 

 on tlie best termy with him; Woodville said he should wish to 



