Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-12-24

So have reduced my directions III" ~!""es
and there they are for any body 10 ioiiow' ]"
Having settled the question Of diet, we now
come to medicine. II is, or ought 10 DC, inc
province Of a medical man to soothe and as
sist Nature, not to force her. NOW the oh'y
medicine | should advise you 10 take, Is dose
Of sliph, aperirnt medicine every morning the
FIRST thing. I won't s,ipulate for the dose, as
tina, must be regulated by circumstances, 9u'
Won must take some; for without Il, by 1ad,
YOUR stomach will pever be right. People go
, TO Harrowgatc, and Buxton, and Bath, and me
devil knows where, 10 drink the waters, ahd
they return full Of admiration al their surpass-
ing efficacy. Now these waters contain next 10
nothing Of purgative medicine; but they are
taken readily, regularly, and in such quantities
as 10 produce the desired effect. You must
perseyere in this plan, Sir, until you experience
relief, which you certainly will do. am often
asksd-sWeli, but, Mr.. Aberneihy, why don't
Won practice what you prsach?' answer by
reminding the inquirer Of the parson and the
sign.post: both point the way, but neither fol-
low its course" And thus ended colloquy,
wherein is mingled much good sense, useful
advice, and whimsicaity.
AS a lecturer, Mr.. Aberne,hy stands unrival-
led. His couatenance is that OF q man OF great
genius; and nose of Grecian form adds very
Considerable TO The acute expression OF his fea-
,u,es; while his light grey eyes, always animat>
ed; seem as iflhey could pierce through the We.
ry depths and inlricacies Of science. His fore.
head is finely formed, and has afforded Spur
him 20 whose system of cranioiogy Mr.. Aber-
nethy 10 degree subscribes) many luxurious.
feast; while the scowl Of deep thought, which
has cast a shade OF reflection over his brow, is
r. l;sei atad bv he nj m
Or derision. He begins his lecture in an uncon-
strained familiar tone of voice, gradually gets
ting more animated and eloquent, as he advan-
ces towards the pith and marrow Of his subject;
and, after Topping off all the absurd and useless
mnu1ise OF the science, and after iefuing all m
consistent theories he arrives at The conclusion
leaving his auditors deeply impressed with his
jnstruc lion. He is an excellent chimist; and
never fails 10 point out the agency OF this sci.
ence in the operations & functions Of the frame.
! or John Hunter he never fails 10 express his
admiration and delight; and repeatedly declares
| that he has done more for the improvement OF
| modern surgery than any other individual what
ever,
We canno, better conclude this, we fear,
| imper fect sketch, than by quoting the follow
| ing eloquent passages from this last physioo-
eical lecture before the College Of Surgeons, in
1917.
81 pity the man who can survey all the won
ders Of the animal and vegetable kingdoms,
who can Journey through so delightful dis
trict, and afterwards exclaim, 'AlI is barren'
Sill more do pity those, hough the sentiment
is mixed with strong disapprobaiion OF their
eonducl who, alter having seen much TO admire,
shall, when they meet with acircumsisnce which
they do not understand, presumptuously dare
10 arragn the wisdom and benevolence OF Ma
,ure In the progress of science, many things,
which at one time appeared absurd and pro-
ductive fevil, have afterw ards, upon an acces.
sion Of knowledge, been found to be most wise
and beneficrnt. deem no apology necessary,
gentlemen, for endeavoriug 10 impress On your
minds certain axims relating 10 phi osophy In
general, when they are directly deducible from
the subjects Of our pecu studies. have
constantly and carefully avoided every argus
ment foreign 10 he subject; that, il oe casIon-
ally may have appe AIRED TO sermonize, have
quoted both the chapter and verse Of my text
| from the book OF Nature. ! address you, gen.
| ,emen. as students OF that great book, and ear.
| nestly exhort you 80 study ii with such senli-
men,s as I have endravored 10 ineulcate. The
| conviction that every thing tends 10 some inn
mediate or essential good. is the greatest incen-
tive to this study. II was this conviction that
excited Hunter TO such continual inquiry, or
involved him occasionally in The depths and
2erplexities Of intense thought; for he was ne.
| yer satisfied without being able TO assign an
adequate reason for whatever he observed in
the structure and economy Of animals. This
con, lotion makes the study Of Nature highly
interesting; and may indeed, be said to render
labor delightful, or 10 mitigate the pains at,en-
danl on its toll. To those who entertain such
sentiments as have endeavored to indicate,
every thing seems animated, bene6cent, and
useful; they have the happy talent Of disc over.
ing even
Tongues in the trees books in the running
brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing"
Such is Aberne,hy; and when death shall
have buried in oblivion all the blots and shad,
ows Of his character-when another generation
| shall have sprung up, and known him only by
the triumphant memorials, which he will be-