I believe _the thinking_ part of the world will join with me in opinion, that he would have shewn more wisdom if he had remained silent. A bad defence does harm to any cause—and _the more able_ the defender appears in his stile and language, the worse it is for his cause when he convinces his readers, that even _his abilities_ cannot do it service. The more this subject is investigated, the more prejudicial it will be to his profession.[4] A practice, _adopted_, and _continued through a jumblement_ of IGNORANCE and VICE, can only be favoured by suffering _an impenetrable_ shade _to veil_ actions _fit only for darkness_. Old Chiron has been drove so hard as to have been forced to assert that the female Midwives always “_cram_ their patients with cordials⸺_keeping them intoxicated during the time they are in labour_”—and that they act like infernal fiends, “_driving_ poor women _up and down stairs, notwithstanding their SHRIEKS_, and _shaking them so violently_ as often to bring on convulsion fits, on pretence of hastening their labours⸺laughing at their cries⸺and breaking wretched jests upon the contortions of the women, whose torments would make a feeling man shudder at the sight.”⸺I believe that it is not possible any one can be _so sillily credulous_ as to have faith in these most _shocking, unnatural, improbable, horrid_ recitals! Is it possible even _if such a brute_ in an human shame found an entry into an house, that the poor lying-in woman could _be able_ to be forced “_up and down stairs_?”⸺and _allow herself_ to be _shook_? If _she_ was ignorant enough, and foolish enough to consent, _would her relations_⸺_her friends_⸺anxiously attending her, _likewise be so ignorant_ as not to know _such_ treatment was highly improper, as well as _cruel beyond cannibal brutality_? And this too _in England_! where bearing of children is not so very _uncommon_, so very _extraordinary_ a circumstance, as that a Midwife could find means to persuade people into such dreadful absurdities!—The idea _is too ridiculous_! I have seen among my near relations, many women in labour, as long as it was decent for a man to be present; and declare I have always seen their Midwives treat them with the utmost tenderness. I have enquired of several ladies of my acquaintance, each of whom has bore many children, and always employed women, and they have all declared they never even _heard_ of any thing in the _most distant_ manner resembling such treatment, as this _interested_ author has abused his talents by relating. To vouch falsehoods, and for _the most malignant_ purposes, needs no comment. Perhaps some diabolical wretch may have behaved in this manner⸺but is that ground enough to erect defamations on, against the whole sex? If _such_ proof was to be admitted decisive, I could severely retaliate on him _such_ proceedings of men, as would melt an heart of adamant! and I could bring demonstrable evidence