In 1813, Abernethy accepted the surgeoncy of Christ's Hospital, which he held until 1828, a short time before he retired from practice. In 1814, he was appointed Professor of Anatomy and Surgery to the College of Surgeons—an appointment which could be, at this period, of little service to him, whatever lustre it might reflect on the College, where he gave lectures with a result which has not always followed on that appointment: namely, of still adding to his reputation. He was one of the few who addressed the elders of the profession without impressing the conviction that he had been too much employed in addressing pupils. He had given lectures two years in succession, when, in 1816, circumstances occurred which will occupy us for some little time. A new scene will be opening upon us; and this suggests the period (1815-16) as convenient for taking a retrospect, and a sort of general view of Abernethy's position. [Footnote 31: Clench's History. Letter from Ch. Uslano, to Gonsalvo de Solano, July, 1590.] [Footnote 32: "Health and Disease." See Treatise on Tumours.] [Footnote 33: "Medicine and Surgery One Inductive Science." London, 1838. Highley.] [Footnote 34: "Medicine and Surgery One Inductive Science;" and "On Tumours," Art. "Treatment of Organs."] CHAPTER XVII. "Sperat infestis, metuit secundis, Alteram sortem bene preparatum Pectus." HOR. "Whoe'er enjoys th' untroubled breast, With Virtue's tranquil wisdom blest, With hope the gloomy hour can cheer, And temper happiness with fear." When we look abroad amongst mankind—nay, even in the contracted sphere of our own experience—it is interesting to observe the varied current of human life in different cases. In some, from the cradle to the grave, life has been beset with difficulties; it has been a continued struggle; the breath seems to have been first drawn, and finally yielded up, amidst the multifarious oppositions and agitations of adversity. In other instances, life seems like an easy, smoothly gliding stream, gently bearing Man on to what had appeared to be the haven of his wishes; and the little voyage has been begun and completed without the appearance of a ripple. All varieties are, no doubt, the result of constantly operating laws. Of these, many are probably inscrutable by us; many more, no doubt, escape our observation. The unforeseen nature of many events confers the character of mystery on any attempt at foresight; yet, when we take a careful retrospect of a life, it is curious to observe how naturally the secondary causes appear to have produced the results by which they were followed; but which, beforehand, no one had thought of predicting.