Volume 1

A letter from the facetious Dr. Andrew Tripe [i.e. W. Wagstaffe] at Bath, to his loving brother the profound Greshamite, shewing that the scribendi cacoethes is a distemper arising from a redundancy of biliose salts / [William Wagstaffe].

William Wagstaffe

Date:: 1719

Credit: A letter from the facetious Dr. Andrew Tripe [i.e. W. Wagstaffe] at Bath, to his loving brother the profound Greshamite, shewing that the scribendi cacoethes is a distemper arising from a redundancy of biliose salts / [William Wagstaffe]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

19/48 page 19

$[*9] Caution, that Maflerpiece of a Phyfician, as You term it, to fleer his Paffions, which broke out afterwards fo impetuoufly, and like a Torrent, upon your Reputation. If any one might conjecture your De- figns by what you write, he would be¬ lieve you have no other Intereft but to do all the Good you can, and that with¬ out Fee or Reward. And, I am fure, you are fo far from the Slander Mr. 0. would infinuate, that you ever vifited the Poor for Nothing,or for a very inconfiderable Fee. Mrs. flat well in Cock-Lane is a late Inftance of your Tendernefs in this Particular, whom you attended four Times in Perfon, for the Sum of Two Shillings per Vifit; That, had the Woman lived in the utmoft part of Germany or the North, Ihe could never have had the Advice of the Medicaflers of the Country at fo trifling an Expence, as here fhe had in the greateft City of the World, from a Phyfician of the greateft Eminence f Yet, between Friends, tho’ I give thefe Reafons oftentimes in Publick, I am o- bliged as often to perfwade the Rich, that they are Sick, and to take all the Money I can find in the Pocket of the Poor. For as I cannot keep my Black, my Tumbler, nor my Zjwy} without a little Management and - \ C 2 Cun-$