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jects.

Dr. Lamb, a moft noted Quack, and one who had acquired a large fortune by his pretended medicines, was at last obliged to confefs he knew nothing of phyfic.

dan's; on the eminence which bounds the limbs or lives of his majesty's fubthe noble avenue from the Downs, called mount Amoret, ftands a stone pillar infcrib'd To HEALTH AND LIBERTY; as the air is the most pure in that place, and unconfin'd that can be, this pillar, infcribed after the manner of the antients, ferves for a point of view, according to the moderns, and is no lefs beneficial to the town, nor lefs obliging to the company that frequent it, than ornamental to Durdan's. Round the bafis is a feat of the fame ftone for the ladies.

Afhted Park is the next. The property of the honourable Thomas Howard, Efq; you must view on foot; there the gladiator, the high tufted trees, the short bitten lawns, the gloomy coverts, the lightfome glades, the open profpects of Apollo, and the retir'd walks of Diana, cannot avail you any thing unless you difinount to furvey them. The other house in Epfom that requires a fpecial mention, is Mount Difton, the property of James Garland, Efq; fo call'd, from the former owner, and from the round.

XIXX

[To be continued.]

The Hiftory of QUACKS.

HE history of Quacks, or ftroling

ter Cafters, Ague Charmers, &c.

In Edward the VIIth's reign, one Grig, a poulterer, in Surry, was fet in the pillory at Croydon, and again in the Borough, Southwark, during the time of the fair, for cheating people out of their money, by pretending to cure them by chains, by only looking at the patient, or by catting his water. In the reign of king James the firit, the council dispatched a warrant to the magiftrates of the city of London, to take up all reputed empiricks, and bring them before the cenfors of the college, to examine how properly qualified they were to be truited either with

Read and Woodhoufe, two other cotemporary Quacks,were likewise brought to juftice, and acknowledged the fame.

In Stowe's chronicle we meet with a relation of a Water-Cafter being fet on horseback, his face to the horse's tail, which he held in his hand, with a collar of urinals about his neck, led by the hangman through the city, whipped, branded, and then banished.

However lenient we are at present, with respect to the notorious illiterate empiricks that now infeft this nation, more care was taken formerly of the fubjects conftitution, and their health not fuffered to be infected by these prifoners of whole parishes.

Fairfax was fined and imprisoned in king William's time for doing great damage to feveral people by his Aqua Celeftis. One Antony with his Aurum Potabile; Arthur Dee, for advertising medicines which he gave out would cure people of all diseases; Fofer, for felling a powder for the green fickness; Tenant, an urine-cafter, who fold his pills for fix pounds each; Aires for felling purging fugar plumbs; Hunt was punifhed for putting bills up in the streets

tiller, for felling his ftrong waters with
directions, what they were good for,
and how perfons were to take them.

Any idle mechanic, not caring lon-
ger to drudge at day labour, by chance
gets a difpenfatory, or fome old receipt
book, and poring over it, or perhaps
having it read to him (for many of these
prefent mountebanks can't read) he finds
that wild cucumber is powerful in the
dropfy; that mercury is good for the
itch, and old ulcers; that opium will
give eafe; favin help young wantons;
and glafs of antimony will vomit.

Down at once goes the hammer, or the faw, razor,awl, or fhuttle-and away

to

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to work, to make electuaries, tinctures, elixirs, pills, plaifters, and poultices. Each preparation new named, and his own name decorated with M. D. purchafed a lumping pennyworth in Scotland. He fpreads peftilence around him, as the mad favage fhooting among the multitude with poisoned ar

rows.

At the best, if any good can be done by thefe mifcreants, it is a chance, as if twenty people fell down a precipice, and two of them fhould happen to be faved, but not by skill or forefight, but fome unforeseen accident intheir favour.

People may fay that most quack medicines are not intended against the conftitution, but only the pocket, and they are too infipid to do either good or harm, but the medicines mentioned above, and which now every dabbler deals in, are in unfkilful hands deftructive; and we find in our records feveral perfons brought to condign punishment for adminiftering fuch compofitions ignorantly. Particularly one John Not was fined and imprisoned, for having killed fundry perfons, with fome of those before-mentioned dangerous medicines. Thomafine Scarlet, and two more wo men, were feverely punished, for tampering with mercurial medicines.

Formerly these poifon-venders were profecuted by the government with proper rigour they were tried and convicted for deftroying people, by giving them medicines unduly prepared; and traníported for the fame. This was the cafe of one Trig, a fhoemaker, in queen Anne's time.

One William Forrefter was feverely punished for felling the bitter apple; and one Simon Foreman, for adminiftering the wild cucumber, as fpecifics. Thefe fellows confeffed, that they knew nothing of the effects of thofe medicines; that neither of them could write nor read; but that an old woman in the country told them that the bitter apple was good for the Scurvy, and the wild cucumber for the Dropfy. Evans, a prieft, about the fame time, was punithed for running about the country with

his antimonial cup, and killing people with it.

It is not four years fince a great parcel of the coarseft aloes, which to the writer's knowledge two farriers refused to buy to give to horfes, were fent up to London, and fold to one of thefe defperate Quacks, made into pills, and given as an universal medicine...

The impoítors of the prefent times would perfuade the world that there is not any thing more easy than curing the moft inveterate disease-they put at the end of their names, M. D. juit as fome gamblers are directed to with Efq; after their's, to impose on the multitude.

Coblers now fet up for regular-bred physicians; hackney coachmen and ticket-porters for anatomifts and natural philofophers; washer-women for Chemifts; tumblers, merry-andrews, and pofture-mafters, for bone-fetters, oculifts, and men-widwives.

Nothing can equal the ignorance of fuch empiricks, but the ftupidity of thofe people who buy their unwholfome preparations

Let us confider only, in the case of thofe patients who have purchased any of these medicines, called Purging ones, and that the Old Bailey, or Ludgate, hill M. D.'s infift on it, their medicines are wholfome.---Granted that they are fo, and will act cathartically. Is purg-ing neceffary, do they know? or what particular purge will beft fuit the years, fex, and constitution ? and how, or in what quantity to be administered?

I have known men troubled with the piles, deftroyed by fuch contra-acting purges; and feveral women, weak enough to fancy themfelves judges of their own cafes, or by an ill-timed nicety, not caring to acquaint their apothecary or physician, have been ruined by fuch terrible forcing compofitions.

Many are torn to pieces by violent cholics, and killed out-right by bloodyfluxes. Fevers, confumptions, palfies, and ruptures are often occafioned by fuch preparations; and I will affirm, that these hellish drugs are always attendedwith a train of fatal confequences.

The

The Scurvy and the Worms are two names, now become a fubterfuge of ignorance; for every lefs apparent diftemper, or the more hidden fymptoms of difeafe; and many under the dangerous mistakes of this fort are lamentably harraffed. Allo fcores of little infants, yearly deftroyed by the very remedies. the unhappy parents were prevailed on to adminilter, in order to destroy thele fuppofed worms.

The ufe of cordials, as advertised, is extremely prejudicial. There is no provifion these puffed fpecifics make for particular cafes; and the fpirit, with which they are drawn off, to infirm constitutions is fatal; yet the common people believe it is in thofe cafes they

are most wanted.

A few fimples, with fome fpices, fuch as nutmegs, cloves, &c. fteeped in wine or French brandy, make a cordial bitter, or stomach elixir : but thefe Quacks don't prepare what they fell us as fuch, in any thing better than malt fpirits, or molaffes.

At this time of the year, the common people begin to drink the spirits of fcurvy-grafs, as a fine alterative, or expeller: yet as it is fold by thofe impoftors, it is one of the moft pernicious and destructive remedies ever advertised, efpecially to hot faline habits, with whom the difeafe has been fo aggravated, that, they have broke out in boils; others have been drove into hectics and confumptions. Nor is it likely it fhould be otherwife, where no regard is had to

ftate, fex, age, or habit of body.But, led away by the name, it is indifcriminately fold alike to all,

*****

An original Letter from a Knight of the Poft, to a celebrated Quack Doctor.

To Doctor

Hond. Sir,

As

SI fee you ave afferdavids at the end off yor bil, I fhall be redy too farve you as chep as any bodey in London wil do. I ave bin imploide by a grat maney Doctors to fware for hem, and I will fware wat you plefe, butt you must kep itt a ficcritt. I ham verry thinn in my bodey, and lok ficcely, fo as how the Juftis will belleve I ave ben cewrd. I will fware before my Lord Mare, or any of the fittin Aldurmens, excep Juftis Feeldin, for he fond me out onet, for fwarin falfley for the Grek Water Doctor. I wil alfoe drau up the Afferdavids if you plefe, for I was bredd to phizzic myefelf, and no molt of the turms and ard wurds. Mye pric for a Kanfur is five fhillings, and the fam for the fool dizzies, and the Kin zevel. Plefe to dirrec for me at Mrs. Jonson's in Lon Lain, Chepfide.

Your humble farvant to command, JOHN WITTAKKER. P. S. I fhant fware by mye one name, but aney others, and mye wif will sware alfoe, iff you want her.

The Comic Lecture Spoke by Mr. Shuter, March 21, at his Benefit, concluded. Wrote by G. A. STEVENS.

Then comes the juftice with fair round belly, with good capon lined, &c.

AD Shakespear known what 'twas to eat in taste,

HA

He wou'd have furnish'd out a finer Feaft.

Not cramm'd the justice, with coarse barn-door food,

But lin'd his belly with hog barbecu'd;

Then tofs'd him up in tafte a turtle hath,

With high-fawc'd calipee, and strong fows'd calipath.
And made his worthip call out loud-Here Sirrah
Hand me a spoonful of the spinal marrow.―

A tum

A tumbler fill, a brusher, I can bear it,
Your honour's health, my lord;-its neat good claret,
Stroaking his belly down, then thus decree,
The calipath is fine, and fo's the calipe,
Come, t'other plate, I've only foul'd a couple:
To flices fave me, Sir, of that pine apple.
But, friend, don't take the haunch off, yet, d'ye hear-a
Hob nob, Sir? Done. Two bumbers of Madira.
Thus wou'd he introduce him on the stage,
Had Shakespear liv'd in this taste-eating age.
Senfe now defcends from brain to belly,
And Reufon's few'd down to a jelly.
Good-breeding rather over-done,
Religion raw and let alone.
Judgment is, feldom done enough,
And Learning but an apple puif.
E'en Wit is only bottle small,

Which, on uncorking, frothy flies ;
But foon it's acid fpirits pall,

It finks, grows flat, then fow'rs and dies.
All things but Taste must needs be flat;
And as to Tafte, why, pray what's that?
We've artists of each kingdom's growth,
To teach us Tafte; but faith and troth,
So many cooks oft fpoil the broth.

Again the justice let us find
With belly fair by capon lin'd,
And eyes fevere and fo faith let him,
'Tis time I think for us to quit him:
Leave him to talk of writs of errors,
Bails, fines, commitments and demurrers,
Rapes, riots, conftables, and keepings,
Fees, warrants, round-houses and whippings,
Contempts of court, and binding over,
Actions of trefpass, and of trover.
Thus let him prate, with him we've done;
And to the next age pafs we flowly on.
With fpectacles on nfe, and pouch by's fide,
His youthful befe well fav'd, a world too wide.
For his hunk frank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again to childish trebles, pipes
And whiffles in his found.

Here, nurfe, my flannel cap--how-who's that, ha?
Nurfe. Only the newfman, Sir,-what's that you fay ?
Nurfe. The King of Prufa, Sir, has got the day.
Got to pay, ay let him came in, 'tis true

I thought to-day I had fome intereft due.
Juft on the inftant a full-whigg'd phyfician,
Whom nurfe had told her mafter's fick condition,
Approach'd the elbow chair where feeble fat,

Who por'd thro' fpectacles, and cry'd-who's that?

When

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When Don Diplomist with cane-smelling grace
Grave putting on fecundum artem face,

Stops nurfe's anfwer, and demands his cafe.

Saying-How d'ye find yourself, Sir, found?

Feeb. What bind nyfelf?—No, Sir, I'll not be bound;

But on good truft I'll lend ten thousand pound.
Here nurse

Now whistling in his fpeech, with voice out-worn,
By nurse he's lifted like a babe just born.
Nurfe, nurfe--

Then comes the fight that must appal ;

He finks, finks, finks, to the laft fcene of all:
Where stands Oblivion with her out spread veil,
To end this strange, this fad eventful tale :
Tafte, touching, hearing, feeing, speaking, gone;
Death drops the curtain down-the droll is done.

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What kind of thing a man is like,
And after all, this feems to strike,
(An odd conceit it may be faid)
He's like a houfe that's newly made.
Now fuch a house to paffers by,
Is very apt to ftrike the eye;
Each man exclaims, how neat it fhows,
Pray whofe the plan, fir?--INIGO'S?
Coft what it will, I vow and swear
I'd imitate it to a hair.

A lazy tenant and his wife

And Tom shall dance, and NAN fhall Take of this houfe a leafe for life,

fing,

With loud huzzas the hall fhall ring,

And nought but mirth be feen;
We'll drown our forrows, banish care,
And bid adieu to dull despair,
And melancholy fpleen.
VOL. II.

Himfelf and all his family,
As carelefs, Toм, as you or I,
Weil, foon-a heavy storm defies
The fplendid front, and thakes the tiles,
The mafter thinks of no repairs,
But lets them rattle 'bout his ears.

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