A JOURNAL KEPT IN THE COUNTRY. 173 



room. He stares about him in an injured manner ; 

 but magnanimously passes over the interruption, 

 thanks the Chairman for proposing his health, and 

 sits down a little suddenly. 



When Dr. Culpeper gets up to thank the Court for 

 drinking to him, there is no mistaking the meaning 

 of the applause. The power possible to a country 

 doctor is very great indeed. He has advantages 

 above the ablest and most laborious parson ; he 

 never needs to seek for his flock ; the sad confessional 

 behind the wire blind of the surgery, the grim con- 

 creteness of the bandage and the knife have a grasp 

 on the poor which no spiritual implements possess. 

 When a practitioner is sympathetic, firm, endlessly 

 painstaking, and plain-spoken, as Dr. Culpeper is 

 with his poor patients, he has the hearts of the 

 villagers as no one else has. To-day he speaks very 

 bluntly to the Court; tells them to be honest and 

 keep off their sick pay as far as possible, to be clean 

 and sober at all times " that'll ruin me in a week, 

 and a good many other doctors as well ; but I won't 

 complain if you do ; " most of all, to keep sober to-day ; 

 and sits down amid loud " Ear-rears " and " For he's 

 a jolly good Fellow." 



We are not more than halfway through the toasts 

 yet, and at the high table we raise our half-glasses of 



