Authentic memoirs, biographical, critical, and literary, of the most eminent physicians and surgeons of Great Britain. With a choice collection of their prescriptions, an account of the medical charities of the metropolis, &c &c / [Anon.].

  • Nisbet, William, 1759-1822.
Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Authentic memoirs, biographical, critical, and literary, of the most eminent physicians and surgeons of Great Britain. With a choice collection of their prescriptions, an account of the medical charities of the metropolis, &c &c / [Anon.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of health and disease: but how soon terminates this grand career! The sun which first shone on him, and elevated him by its patronage, now directs its rays to some new individual, who immediately starts into his place, and gains that hold in public favor which is rapidly lost to him. He then sinks, in ashort time, into the shadow of what he was, into the common professional line, from the altitude he had attained. His chariot is no longer seen at every titled door, nor his hand longer wea- ried with the obtrusiveness of fees; and, disgusted with the change, he passes in the end into retire- ment, where, if he has not been prudent in the hey- day of his career, or if the expenses of his shewy establishment have equalled his receipts, he has both difficulties and retrenchments to encounter in the evening of his days. ‘To him may be justly applied the celebrated lines in Jane Shore: In vain he may look back—in vain deplore ; He sets like stars that fal] to rise no more. Harder a great deal is his fate than that of the em- piric : his nostrum gains him, if successful for a long period, fame and emolument. When it sinks in pub- lic opinion, he is not tied down by respectability or consequence. Like the chameleon, that changes its hue, be changes his name and appearance, and comes before the public ina new shape and character, where it is probable he is equally successful. Neither does