60 MEMOIR OF Dlt WRIGHT. 



of his books, but of the collections of dried specimens, 

 on which he placed the greatest value, no trace could 

 afterwards be found. 



The jealousy of his fellow prisoners was, however, 

 chiefly excited by the admission which his fame pro- 

 cured for him into the nunneries of Arcos, — a privi- 

 lege which he found to be valuable only in proportion 

 to its singularity, and possessing no attractions after 

 he had gratified the first impulse of curiosity. On 

 such occasions the foreign physician was attended by 

 the prior of a neighbouring convent, who, through 

 the medium of Latin, was in use to act as interpreter 

 between him and his patients. The greatest precau- 

 tion was observed on their admission. They were 

 preceded by the Lady Abbess, and one of the most an- 

 cient of the sisterhood, who, in their progress through 

 the long passages of the building, kept incessantly 

 tinkling the hand-bells which they carried to announce 

 their approach, and, as may be supposed, to warn the 

 fair inmates against the unseasonable indulgence of an 

 idle curiosity. The hall into which they were shewn 

 was uniformly darkened, and the Doctor was permit- 

 ted to sec his patients, as they were successively intro- 

 duced, by the light of a lamp. It was with great diffi- 

 culty that the ladies were persuaded to unveil, and 

 not until the Doctor had declared that he could not 

 prescribe, with any chance of success, until he had seen 

 the faces of the fair invalids. But the age of romance 

 had passed away, the uplifted veil discovered neither 

 youth nor beauty, and even the genius of a Radcliffe 

 would find no materials for a talc of mystery in the 



