The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-06-05

was called 10 the court of Louis XVI. at first as
physician to the two queens, and afterwards to
the king. His superiority over the rest of the
brethren, had just caused him to be appointed re-
gent physician Of the faculty of Paris, when an
extraordinary event snatched him from his glory
and his labors.
Mr. De Lassone was giving course or ana
tomical lectures, and his numerous pupils, by his
orders, had placed upon the tables of the lecture
room, the bodies which were 10 be used in his
demonstrations, when, the hour at which he had
been accustomed to meet them having long pass
ed by, some one was sent to inquire if unforeseen
business made it necessary to defer the lecture,
or whether the class might continue to wait for
him. He who had been sent tor the celebrated
professor, found him in his study in company with
two ladies who were in tears The one was bor-
dering one old age, and the other mig ht be about
twenty years of age.
"Alas sir" said the old lady, 81 shall never
more see nv unfortunate son whom you have
not been able to save!"
ct have done, madame, all that man could do:
but science has its bounds, and death hath been
more powerful than l."
"Be assured, Miss" continued Mr. Lassone,
addressing himself to the young lady, " be assur
ed that it did not depend upon me to save the
life of your lover and that if have ever felt the
sacredness of my profession it is at this moment
when your grefs which pierce my heart, teach
me the happiness and the henefactions, which
were in store for me, if n less cruel destiny had
permitted me to snatch one victim more from
the grave"
"My poor Eugene! He was my only child,
nv only support. Henceforth misery must be
my lot" -,
"Young lady, you must have more courage"
said Mr. Lassone, weeping, sand think that there
remains to you old father! You, madame,
will also be able to bear up with life. will new
oil IN L
care of your old age. | will procure for you
pleasant ana convenient retreat, and you shall
vet he able to speak of him -"
Then the generous physician enquireG for the
residence of the unfortunate mother, and with
his soul oppressed, set out with the young stu
dent, who admired: no less the virtues of his heart
than the elevation OF his mind.
This scene of grief and mourning had filed
Mr. Lassone with the deepest deJection and when
he appeared before his class, it was perceived
that he was extremely affected.
However,, the lecture commenced, and fate
would have it that the body of him who had been
the subject OF many lamentations, should be
found upon the cold stone table OF the dissectlng
xoom. In this instance death had taken so sim
gular shape to stiffen the robust and well con-
stituted limbs, that the professor had promised,
the day before, to bestow great care on the exam
inatiOn of so interesting q subject. Consequent
ly large number was present to witness the eX-
animation.
In order thoroughly to investigate the cause of
his death, Mr. Lassone must first proceed to open
the body. When he was about inserting the
scalpel into the flesh, an indiscrlbable shudder
came over him. He stopped for moment. His
Imagination impaired life to this inanimate body. !
He pictured to himself thousand phantoms.
lie thought he heard the songs of the nuplial
ceremony He saw the old mother of Eugene
weeping for joy and blessing his happy union.
He saw the young wife crowned with roses. All
sUas happiness around him.
Tie was awaked from his reverie by one of the
students, who asked him it he wanted any thing;
sae dreana vanished and he found himselfin the
preseEee of corpse.
Then, fearing lest his hesitation might be taken
for want of confidence in his science, Mr. Las
some, having laid down some preliminary prnci-
piles, ran the point Of his instrument along the
lower border of the right breast and Immediately
she bloed gushed forth as pure as could be drawn
from the veins of man in full health.
Suddenly, an almost imperceptihle movement
agitated the breast of the dead. Mr. Lassone,
with bewildered eye, anxously followed this
slight undulation of life. He was terror struck.
His knees failed him--he tainted.
Eugene was still alive! sigh had animated
the marble statue.
They fastened to relieve the instrous pro-
fessor, and carried to a bed the unfortunate young
man, who had resumed life but to struggle with
dreadful agony.
An awful derium seized the physician as soon
as he had recovered his senses. He loaded him
self with maledictions, and accused himself of
barburty and assassination. "Leave me-" said
he, edo you not see that there is upon my hands
the blood OF map whom have slain? Do YOU
not see that corpse is strangng me in his tight
embrace and that mother is invoking upon me
the wrath of heaven?
These lugubrious images troubled him for six
days. after which he recovered his reason.-
The first thing Mr. Lassone did was to inquire
into the situation of the man upon whom he had
laid his homicidal hand. HIS case was far from
being encouraging, and the wound which had
been made by the scapel was one of the most
dangerous. The physician who had nyoluntari-
ly committed the double crime of sending to the
tomb man still alive, and of plunging into his
bosom murderous knife, could not resolve to
give himself up again to the duties of his honor