1811] Extracts from the Portfolio of a Manof Lellers. 251 
the loss they were about to sustain, de- 
clared that there would stil] remain after 
his decease three great physicians. On 
being pressed to name them, each pre- 
sent flattering himself with being one of 
the three, the dying man replied,** Water, 
exercise, and diet !” 
"'A SKILFUL DOCTOR. 
A humourous story on this subject, 
is related in a French writer. A lover, 
whose mistress was dangerously ill, 
sought every where for a skilful physi- 
cian, in whom he could place confidence, 
and ro whose care‘he might confide a life 
sv dearto him. In the gourse of his 
search, he met with a man possessed of 
atalisman, by the aid of which spirits 
might be rendered visible. The young 
man exchanged for this talisman half his 
possessions ; and, having secured his trea- 
sure, ran with it to the house af a famous 
physician, Fiocking round the door he 
Leheld a crowd.of shades, the ghosts of 
those persons whom the physician had 
killed. The same vision presented itself, 
more or less, at the houses of every phy- 
sician of eminence inthe city. One at 
-length was pointed out to hinyin a dis- 
tant quarter of the town, at whose door 
he only perceived two little ghosts. ‘* Be- 
hold,” exclaimed he, “ with a joyful cry, 
the good physician of whom T have so 
Jong been jn search!” The doctor, asto- 
nished, asked how he had been — able 
to discover this? * Pardon me,” said the 
afflictedilover, complacently, ‘* your abi- 
‘lity and your reputation are well known 
to me.” “ My reputation! why 1 have 
been in the city but eight days, and in 
that time I have had but two patients,” 
MEDICAL BDUCATION. 
Tt is certain that the knowledse of 
medicine is involved in many ditticulties, 
has advanced slowly, and is far behind 
that of every other science. Yet the 
improvements which have taken place in ’ 
modern times, and the substitution of 
experiment for theory and system, affords 
to future generations a happier prospect. 
“The principle of a late interesting publica- 
tion,* the prevention of diseases,by.a phy- 
sical education, or-the diffusion of »phy- 
siological knowledge, is peculiarly de- 
serving of encouragement and’ praise. 
The arcana of this profession, like all 
other mysteries, has covered infinite ini- 
quity and mischief. ‘To those disinter- 
“ested men of genius who, have unveiled 
truth, and simplified the sciences, the 
wtieer *noveldt es 
* Beddoes’ 
‘Health, 
iy gela, or Popular Legions on 
world will be indebted for light and hap- 
piness. ' 
TOLAND AND BEAUSOBRE. 
At the beginning of the last century, 
“the queen of Prussia maintained a pr- 
vate chapel at Charlottenburg, where 
Beausobre, a learned minister among the- 
Protestant refugees, and his colleague, 
alternately officiated in French. One 
Sunday, in October 1701, at the close 
of the service, her Majesty invited Beau- 
sobre, as usual, to join a conversation< 
party, which assembled, at dusk, in her 
apartinent. On Beausobre’s arrival, the 
queen rose from the card-table, and in- 
troduced him to Mr. Toland, the cele- 
brated Irish antichristian writer, who 
had been dining with the king. “ Here 
is a stranger,’ said the queen to Beau- 
sobre, “who attacks the pillars of our 
faith, and doubts the very narratives of 
Scripture.” Beansobre urbanely wel- 
comed the conversation of Voland, hint- 
ing, however, that he thought ita foible 
to assert the esprit fort; and that rash 
opinions, if excusable to the courage and 
curiosity of youth, should, at a certain 
age, grow mute belore the prudence and 
learning of maturity. Tt was the obvious 
wish both of her majesty and of the 
company, to promote some wrestle of 
‘intellect between two champions so wor- 
thy of the respective causes. Toland 
was forward to engage in the contro- 
versy. He observed, that the Protes- 
tants were inconsistent. in not going 
further with their reformation; that they 
retained a mysticism of creed, and a ca- 
talogue of miracles, which, ‘if the Scrip- 
“tures were reduced to their historic value, 
could not be supported ; that they had 
no reason to trust in the gospels, save 
that the church of Rome had selected 
them for veneration ; and-that they were 
equally bound to-trust any other legends 
which the same church.recommendca to 
the faithful. Beausobre replied, That 
the general'tenor of Scripture favoured a 
creed approaching the Protestant; that 
the reverence of antiquity forthe gospels 
Was a strong proof of their proeeeding 
from the men Whose names they bore ; 
that the truth of the facts recorded, was 
to. be appreciated by inquiring, whether 
Peter, and Matthew, and John, were 
competent witnesses ; and that the au- 
thority of the church of Rome was like 
that of an archivist to the deeds he 
edits; the documents might occasionally 
prove what the nh did not infer, 
« Yes,” said Toland, “ and it is so that 
I would use them, Of legendary writ. 
’ 1S 
