Clergymen and Doctors: Curious Facts and Characteristic Sketches.Anonymous
History
Clergymen and Doctors: Curious Facts and Characteristic Sketches.
Anonymous
Clergy; Medicine -- Anecdotes; Medicine -- Humor; Pastoral theology -- Anecdotes; Physicians
_Generous Refusal of Fees._--There are many anecdotes of refusal of
physicians to take fees from persons whom the payment of them would
have distressed; but they are all so nobly alike, that we need not
quote any here. The benevolent and eccentric Dr. Smith, when
established in a practice equal to that of any physician in London, did
what perhaps few physicians in great practice would have done. He set
apart _two days for the poor in each week_. From those who were really
poor, he never took a fee; and from those who were of the middling
ranks in life, he never would take above half a guinea! Yet so great
was the resort to him, that he has in one day received fifty guineas,
at the rate of half a guinea only from each patient.
_Sticklers for Fees._--Sir Richard Jebb was once paid three guineas by
a nobleman from whom he had a right to expect five. Sir Richard dropped
the coins on the carpet, when a servant picked them up and restored
them. Sir Richard continued his search. "Are all the guineas found?"
asked his Lordship, looking round. "There must be two still on the
floor," was Jebb's answer; "for I have only three." The hint was taken,
and the right sum put down. An eminent Bristol doctor coming into his
patient's bedroom immediately after death, found the right hand of the
deceased tightly clenched. Opening the fingers, he discovered within
them a guinea. "Ah! that was for me, clearly," said the doctor, putting
the piece into his pocket. A physician, receiving two guineas when he
expected three, from an old lady who used to give him the latter fee,
had recourse to one part of Sir Richard Jebb's artifice, and, assuming
that the third guinea had been dropt through his carelessness on the
floor, looked about for it. "Nay, nay," said the lady, "you are not in
fault. It is I who dropt it."
_Fees collectively Irresistible._--Radcliffe attended a friend for a
twelvemonth gratuitously. On his last visit his friend said, "Doctor,
here is a purse in which I have put every day's fee; and your goodness
must not get the better of my gratitude. Take your money." Radcliffe
steeled himself to persevere in benevolence, just touched the purse to
reject it, heard the chink of the gold, and put it into his pocket,
saying "Singly, Sir, I could have refused them for a twelvemonth; but,
all together, they are _irresistible_."
PALEY'S ECONOMY OF CONSCIENCE.
The great controversy on the propriety of requiring a subscription to
articles of faith, as practised by the Church of England, excited in
1772 a very strong sensation amongst the members of the two
universities. Paley, when pressed to sign the clerical petition which
was presented to the House of Commons for relief, excused himself,
saying, "He could not _afford_ to keep a conscience."
DIFFIDENCE IN THE PULPIT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account