PREFACE. xiii 



the mifl of ignorance and majk o( myftery ; it is anxi- 

 pufly to be defired in future, that every gentleman 

 who has occafion to elucidate or iiluftrate his own 

 underftanding, by calling to his afljflance any of the 

 learned tribe before defcribed, fo remarkable for their 

 extent of communication, will (previous to their ad- 

 miniftration of medicine) require an explanatory pre- 

 lude, with fatisfadory information upon what opera- 

 tions they frame their expedtations of relief and fuc- 

 cefs; — with the very neceffary and additional re- 

 commendation, to be particularly careful to obtain 

 their medicines from Bifpenjanes of repute^ where the 

 proprietor is reported or fuppofed to have formed a 

 fair, honourable:, and equitable contradl with emolument 

 and reputation. 



And this caution is rendered more immediately 

 worthy confideration, by the multiplicity of fpecious 

 advertifements fo conftantlyheld forth to promote the 

 lucrative fale of innumerable balls, powders, ^indipajlesy 

 individually infallible for every diforder to which the 

 horfe is incident. But what renders the circumftance 

 flill more extraordinary, is their being prefcribed and 

 prepared, by thofe vtry metropolitan pra^ioners in me- 

 dicine, whofe equeftrian polTefTions never amounted 

 to a ftngle fteed -, whofe journeys or unexperimental 

 pradlice never exceeded the diurnal progreiTions of a 

 hackney -coach ; and whofe great anxiety for the gene- 

 ral good never furpafTed the idea of cent, per cent, in 

 |:he circulation. This obfervation comes with a much 



6 betcer 



