George Harley, F.R.S : the life of a London physician / edited by his daughter, Mrs. Alec Tweedie.

Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: George Harley, F.R.S : the life of a London physician / edited by his daughter, Mrs. Alec Tweedie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    everything went calmly, without fuss, friction, fret, or hurry. Were I asked the reason for the peace which reigned within those walls, I should answer Self-Control, a virtue fast departing from this world, if one may judge by what meets eyes and ears daily. Trouble often knocked at the door, and did not stay outside. Quite unequal battles were fought and won in the quiet rooms; mind grappled with bodily anguish, disappointment, loss of income, and conquered; but nothing was said about the pain, the struggle, the gallant and successful effort to make up leeway. All were met with the dignified spirit that would not have triumphed excitedly had Fortune emptied her cornucopia into the old house. Save a half-laughing exclamation when toiling upstairs, one hand on the balusters, the other holding my arm, I never heard one syllable of complaint pass Dr. George Harley’s lips. * He must have suffered horribly; but he suffered in silence, and maintained a cheerful spirit simply because he did not aggravate his pain by dwelling on it. How he got through the amount of work he did I cannot imagine. He must have utilized every spare moment, and yet he was always ready to talk or to hear. Unless I chanced to be staying in Harley Street, it was generally at luncheon we met. He would come and join us at that meal looking a little tired, perhaps, after seeing a number of patients; but next moment his kindly face would light up with pleasure, and he would grasp my hand or that of any other friend with a cordiality not to be for- gotten (it was wonderful how so small a hand* could clasp another hand with so strong a grip!), the while he asked earnestly how things were going or had gone; what was the news, etc. * Dr. George Harley’s hands and feet were exceptionally, marvellously small.
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