1840-42. A SERVICEABLE TONGUE. 273 



do. Nevertheless, if you were to stumble in some night at tea 

 time on us here, you might find me at my old tricks, retailing 

 some jest picked up through the day or ; but I need say 

 no more, you would find me the old fellow, with the old non- 

 sense in my head, cheering the hearts of our much-tried and 

 often sad home -circle. Mary is no worse, and I hope will amend 

 still more ; the rest of us are well. 



" P.S. I hope you are not swallowed up by the earthquake. 

 Your loving brother, GEORGE." 



"March 26, 1842. 



" Yesterday, which was Good Friday, I religiously observed 

 by eating a hot cross bun, and enjoyed a holiday from my labours. 

 I had been working double tides all the week with the lectures 

 I spoke of on the calculi, and was fairly worn out with four 

 hours' speaking per diem, not to mention the preparation, etc. 

 But you will be glad to learn that I had an audience overflow- 

 ing, crammed to the door, and scarcely even standing room to 

 be had, and this for three days consecutively. Several elderly 

 gentlemen attended, and said very polite things to me after lec- 

 ture. The class was most attentive, gave me abundant applause, 

 and through side channels have communicated their great satis- 

 faction. I knew the subject, had a sufficiency of well-contrived 

 experiments, which, as they say of fireworks, went off well, 

 plenty of specimens from the surgical museums, diagrams, and 

 other appliances. I was very stupid, bad headache, and no ap- 

 petite, took no dinner for the three days, and had to lecture at 

 the unpleasant hour of 4 P.M. ; but that nature which has given 

 horns to bulls, has given me a tongue which nothing but death 

 will keep from wagging ; and as I was alive, or semi-alive, wag 

 it did, and to some purpose. The great object of this seemingly 

 conceited prologue is to let you (whose interest in my welfare I 

 do heartily acknowledge) see that there is the best hope for the 

 proposed summer class, for which John Goodsir and I will now 

 with undivided attention work. 



" Mary is neither worse nor better, still a complete invalid, 

 and requiring the utmost care. We are all otherwise well. 

 The first blink of sunshine that reaches my hazy soul shall give 



s 



