10 
those of their pupils. Bat it will not 
do to pass over thus summarily the 
merits and demerits of that strange 
compound of eccentricity, il]-humour, 
and benevolence, Mr. Abernethy ; 
whose churlishness: has become pro- 
verbial, and whose rough ungentle- 
manlike exploits are as familiar as 
household words in the mouths of all 
here. I have been actually afraid to 
mention his name in company ; for no 
sooner is the subject of bis peculiari- 
ties tonched upon, than a thousand 
anecdotes are immediately poured 
forth to illustrate the same; and every 
one has heard’ of or experienced a 
specimen of his rudeness, His mag- 
nanimous reply to a certain noble 
personage is known almost to every 
ene. The Earl of had been wait- 
ing for a long time in the surgeon’s 
auti-room, when, becoming importu- 
nate, he sent his card in. No notice 
was taken of the hint: he sent another 
card,—anotber,—and another; still no 
answer. Atlength he gained admis- 
sion in his turn; and, full of nobility 
and cholor, he asked, rather aristocra- 
tically, why he had been kept waiting 
so long, concluding by informing Mr. 
Abernethy, that he was no less a per- 
sonage than the Harl of ——. ‘And 
I (said Johnny, nothing daunted,) am 
Sohn Abernethy, professor of Anatomy, 
Physiology, and Surgery ; and, if your 
lordship will sit down, I will now hear 
what you have to say.” 
A. droll circumstance occurred to 
our old friend D. of Gray’s Inn. He 
had gone one morning to consult Mr. 
Abernethy for what is here termed 
the lawyer's malady, which is nothing 
more nor less than a derangement of 
the digestive oryans, induced by seden- 
tary habits, and atoo unlimited indul- 
gence in the good things of this life. 
As he was going along the passaye in 
his way out, he met a brother solicitor, 
a Mr. W. hastening into the presence 
of the surgeon. ‘“‘ What the devil 
brought you here?” said one. The 
other echoed the question, and the 
reply of each was the same. ‘ Well, 
let us see what he has written for you,” 
said W. The prescription was pro- 
duced, and they read as follows— 
“Read my book, page 72: John Aber- 
nethy.” W. laughed heartily at poor 
D. who expecicd something more 
particularly medicinal for his money. 
However, he agreed to wait for his 
friend, and walk down to chambers 
: 4 
Letters on the Medical School of London. 
[Aug. fT, 
with him. In about a quarter of 
an hour W, came out, much edi- 
fied, as he said, by the surgeon’s 
advice and exhortation, who had been 
talking very seriously to him, and 
laying down a very strict plan of 
diet and regimen. ‘‘ Well, but have 
you no prescription?” ‘Oh, yes: here 
it is. J had almost forgotten that ;’— 
and, producing a slip of paper, he read 
thereon, to his own chagrin, and to 
the infinite amusement of his friend, 
“Read my book, page 72: John 
Abernethy.” 
Various causes have been assigned 
for the existence of these strange and 
repulsive eccentricities ; but those who 
know Mr. Abernethy best attribute 
them in some measure to affectation, 
and to an impatient ill-humour, in- 
duced by excessive study. We is 
certainly not enthusiastically fond of 
general practice: he would rather be 
employed amidst his pupils at the 
hospital, than amidst his patients out 
of it; and this carelessness of public 
patronage and favour has been so 
serviceable .to his brother-practi- 
tioners, that one of them has often 
declared it is worth 30007. per annum 
tohim. Most of our popular surgeons 
have risen to eminence, not merely by 
their talents alone, but by excessive 
attention, and by skill in operating,— 
two qualifications most assiduously 
neglected by Mr. Abernethy. As to 
the first, he is too indolent to attend 
to it; excepting in cases of extreme 
urgency; and, as to the second, he 
regards it almost with contempt. An 
operation, he says, is the reproach of 
surgery, and a surgeon should endea- 
vour to avoid such an extremity by 
curing his patient without having 
recourse toit. Acting upon this latter 
principle, it is astonishing the good 
that be has done, particularly at the 
Hospital,—to the great annoyance of 
his pupils, by the way, who complain 
bitterly of the paucity of operations. 
In fact, Mr. Abernethy is, in every 
sense of the term, a man of profound — 
and unrivalled science. His intimate 
knowledge of anatomy, and more 
especially of practical physiology, his _ 
comprehensive and well - informed 
mind, his acute perception, and a 
habit of deep and constant reflexion, — 
enable him to effect that good, which, 
notwithstanding his churlishness, so 
many have experienced; and those 
who have seen him, as I have, going 
round 
