THEBES. G3 
the patient assented, with great calmness and ciiai'. 
fortitude. Being seated upon a log of wood, in - 
the open air, the operator thrust into his mouth 
a most terrific instrument, and presently out 
flew two of the soundest teeth in his head. It 
was a job not to be mended by apology ; so, 
with matchless presence of mind, the Greek 
began to cross himself, telling his patient to call 
again the next day if the pain should return, as 
there was still an ugly -looking tooth remaining, 
which perhaps would prove troublesome, but 
might be removed in a twinkling. When his 
patient had quitted the premises, finding that 
we were disposed to rally him a little upon his 
dexterity, he made no secret of what had hap- 
pened, but produced the two teeth, without 
even a speck upon either of them ; saying, the 
Turk had asked for a sight of what he had lost, 
but was easily persuaded that some hungry 
turkeys, which had strolled into the yard and 
were making a great noise, had gobbled all that 
he desired to see. — So much for his skill in this 
particular branch of his calling! As a physician, 
he entertained very high ideas of the efficacy of 
pills made of yelloiv silk and live spiders, in the 
cure of a quotidian, tertian, or quartan. How- 
ever, as Englishmen, we had little reason to 
ridicule Uie Greeks for such superstitions with 
