But lives the man by whom such deeds are done! Yes, many such--But Swallow's race is run; His name is lost,--for though his sons have name, It is not his, they all escape the shame; Nor is there vestige now of all he had, His means are wasted, for his heir was mad: Still we of Swallow as a monster speak, A hard bad man, who prey'd upon the weak. LETTER VII. Finirent multi letho mala; credula vitam Spes alit, et melius cras fore semper ait. TIBULLUS. He fell to juggle, cant, and cheat . . . For as those fowls that live in water Are never wet, he did but smatter; Whate'er he labour'd to appear, His understanding still was clear. A paltry wretch he had, half starved, That him in place of zany served. BUTLER, Hudibras. ------------------- PROFESSIONS--PHYSIC. The Worth and Excellence of the true Physician--Merit, not the sole Cause of Success--Modes of advancing Reputation--Motives of medical Men for publishing their Works--The great Evil of Quackery--Present State of advertising Quacks--Their Hazard--Some fail, and why-- Causes of Success--How Men of understanding are prevailed upon to have recourse to Empirics, and to permit their Names to be advertised--Evils of Quackery: to nervous Females; to Youth; to Infants--History of an advertising Empiric, &c. NEXT, to a graver tribe we turn our view, And yield the praise to worth and science due, But this with serious words and sober style, For these are friends with whom we seldom smile. Helpers of men they're call'd, and we confess Theirs the deep study, theirs the lucky guess; We own that numbers join with care and skill, A temperate judgment, a devoted will: Men who suppress their feelings, but who feel The painful symptoms they delight to heal; Patient in all their trials, they sustain The starts of passion, the reproach of pain; With hearts affected, but with looks serene, Intent they wait through all the solemn scene; Glad if a hope should rise from nature's strife, To aid their skill and save the lingering life; But this must virtue's generous effort be, And spring from nobler motives than a fee: To the Physician of the Soul, and these, Turn the distress'd for safety, hope, and ease. But as physicians of that nobler kind Have their warm zealots, and their sectaries blind; So among these for knowledge most renowned, Are dreamers strange, and stubborn bigots found: Some, too, admitted to this honourd name, Have, without learning, found a way to fame; And some by learning--young physicians write, To set their merit in the fairest light; With them a treatise in a bait that draws Approving voices--'tis to gain applause, And to exalt them in the public view, More than a life of worthy toil could do. When 'tis proposed to make the man renown'd, In every age, convenient doubts abound; Convenient themes in every period start, Which he may treat with all the pomp of art; Curious conjectures he may always make,