76 HOPE 



efficiently fulfilled the office of Secretary to the Post- 

 master-General. He had not long taken possession of 

 his new appointment before my father called on him, as 

 it was quite necessary, from the relative situation he 

 stood in with the Post- Office as Mail Contractor, that they 

 should be known to each other, if not be on friendly 

 terms. This induced a reciprocity of visits ; and my 

 father, with his accustomed hospitality, took an early 

 opportunity of inviting him and his family to dinner. 

 They accordingly came, and, while seated at the table, the 

 whole party were suddenly discomfited by an attack of 

 my fearful enemy — for fearful were the distortions of my 

 countenance in all such lamentable visitations. I was 

 borne to my room, and did not again make my appear- 

 ance that evening ; but I understood that I and my 

 dreadful malady formed the topic of conversation in my 

 absence. Indeed, on my recovery, my sister told me that 

 the gentleman had evinced great commiseration for my 

 affliction ; and in the course of conversation, after asking- 

 many questions as to its general nature and origin, said 

 he was acquainted with a person in London who he was 

 sure could cure me. 



This drew a smile of sorrowful incredulity from the 

 lips of my father, who, after having sought and had the 

 best advice the most celebrated of the faculty could 

 afi'ord, had no faith in the ability of any unknown doctor 

 or acknowledged empiric. My mother was not so 

 disinclined, but listened with avidity to the many 

 instances of successful trials our new acquaintance cited 

 and upon which he founded his conviction that, were I to 

 take his friend's specific, I should at no very distant date 



