Instead of considering how they could best do honour to the waning powers of one who had not only raised the reputation of St. Bartholomew's Hospital to a point it had never before attained, who had founded a school there, constituting the largest single Hospital Class in London, and who was leaving the inheritance of a rich annual harvest to his successors,—the time was occupied in discussing whether he could resign the surgeoncy without resigning the lectureship; whether, on paying a hundred guineas, which there seemed no difficulty in receiving, he could become a Governor whilst still an officer; and then, whether his being a Lecturer without retaining the surgeoncy did not so constitute him. These, and similar questions scarcely more important, were the source of considerable annoyance. In former editions, we were obliged to discuss some of these matters more at large than is now necessary; because, amongst the individuals associated in the transactions of the period, there was one to whom Mr. Abernethy had been of especial service; but in regard to whom he had been much misrepresented. Further, this had taken place in our own hearing, in whose recollection all the facts were perfectly fresh, but who were, at that time, without the documents which are now in our possession. We accordingly sought to obtain whatever documents there were from the source most likely to test the correctness of our recollection; when a note was written which, as we now learn, quite unintentionally conveyed the idea, or at least was susceptible of the construction, that a disinclination to make any communication on the subject proceeded from a desire to withhold something unfavourable to Mr. Abernethy. This determined us on discussing the matter, so far as was necessary to rebut such interpretation. And it was fortunate we did so; for it very soon appeared, not only that such an impression had been produced, but that "gossip," with its usual aptitude for invention, had soon supplied the myth thus supposed to have been charitably withheld.