Sir Amyas pronounced that the young lady had hereditary nerves, besought Lady Spilsbury to compose herself, assured her the inflammation was purely symptomatic, and as soon as he could subdue the continual nervous inclination to shrivel up the nose, which he trusted he could in time master, all would go well. But Sir Amyas attended every day for a month, yet never got the mastery of this nervous inclination. Lady Spilsbury then was persuaded _it could not be nerves, it must be scrofula_; and she called in Dr. Frumpton, _the man for scrofula_. He of course confirmed her ladyship in her opinion; for a week d----d nerves and Sir Amyas; threw in desperate doses of calomel for another month, reduced the poor child to what the maid called an _attomy_, and still the inflammation increased. Lady Spilsbury desired a consultation of physicians, but Dr. Frumpton would not consult with Sir Amyas, nor would Sir Amyas consult with Dr. Frumpton. Lady Spilsbury began to dread that the sight of the eye would be injured, and this idea terrified the mother almost out of her senses. In the suspension of authority which terror produces in a family, the lady’s-maid usually usurps considerable power. Now her ladyship’s maid had been offended by Dr. Frumpton’s calling her _my good girl_, and by Sir Amyas Courtney’s having objected to a green silk bandage which she had recommended; so that she could not _abide_ either of the gentlemen, and she was confident the young lady would never get well while they had the management of affairs: she had heard--but she did not mention from whom, she was too diplomatic to give up her authority--she had heard of a young physician, a Dr. Percy, who had performed wonderful great cures in the city, and had in particular cured a young _lady_ who had an inflamed eye, just for all the world like Miss Spilsbury’s. In this last assertion, there was, perhaps, some little exaggeration; but it produced a salutary effect upon Lady Spilsbury’s imagination: the footman was immediately despatched for Dr. Percy, and ordered to make all possible haste. Thus by one of those petty underplots of life, which, often unknown to us, are continually going on, our young physician was brought into a situation where he had an opportunity of showing his abilities. These favourable accidents happen to many men who are not able to make use of them, and thus the general complaint is preferred of want of good fortune, or of opportunity for talents to distinguish themselves.