of parts of the blood be already formed into a particular state, which is vulgarly called a vicious habit of body, it is incapable of contracting or receiving certain malignancies which affect and distemper it, and which malignancies will prevail in a greater or less degree, and become more or less virulent, according to its vitiated state, all which I grant to be true. But I have now further to observe, that as the face is a palpable index to the mind, wherein we may read tokens of the inward passions, so there are likewise certain signs to be observed in the face only, wherein we may perceive many prognostics and symptoms of various approaching diseases, which are then breeding and engendering in the blood; and which, by thus being discovered, if they are skilfully attacked in time, that is, before they get to the height and gain the mastery, may, by proper methods, be easily removed; and if they are not so found out and treated, they may, and often do, occasion the certain death of the patient. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the art and mystery which I studied; and if I can discover among the vast concourse of people who now surround me, any such person whose present necessity requires my assistance, and by whom I may prove the truth of what I have been advancing, I will instantly point him out publicly before you all."

So, having spent some time in surveying the throng, and affecting a very grave and penetrating look, he at last pitched upon his old master, and pointing to him," There,” said he," is a gentleman, who, I am certain, without my assistance, in ten days' time will be no longer living; and no other person in this kingdom except myself can possibly administer any thing that will cure him. And so well do I know the nature and cause of the distemper which is now invading his animal fluids, that I would have you, gentlemen, particularly notice, that I assure you, at seven or eight o'clock this evening, he will be first seized with a lowness of spirits, restless all night, tomorrow he loses his appetite, then a fever will succeed, after which, it will fall upon his nerves, and, in a short time, it will carry him off.

"Thus, Sir, be pleased to remember," continued he, addressing himself to the apothecary," that I have told you the different stages and changes of this your new disorder; and seek the best advice and assistance you may, you will find all I have advanced exactly true."

Here the people were all amazed at this strange prognosti cation of the foreign mountebank about their own town Doctor, and were impatient for its issue. The learned orator,

having finished all he intended to say on that subject, immediately proceeded on his harangue on other matters.

The poor apothecary could think of nothing but what the stranger had prophesied concerning his approaching illness. He went home directly and related to his wife all he had heard. And some little time after, the good woman perceiving her husband pausing, melancholy, and apparently concerned at it, could not help sympathizing a little with him, saying,"My dear, I am sorry to see you so grave; I hope you do not feel the disease coming upon you already; I should think you are the best judge whether the Doctor could perceive any symptoms of illness in you; but if I might advise you, you should, for prevention and security, take something which you may think serviceable directly." "Aye," replied the husband, "but he also told me that nobody but himself could tell what to give me that would do me any good, and therefore if I find myself attacked according to his prediction, it will be in vain for me to attempt any remedy from my own presumption, or from any person but from him."

From this moment he began to be very uneasy in mind, and consequently his disorder commenced; and as about seven or eight o'clock was the time the Doctor had fixed for his lowness of spirits to begin, he was very impatient to see what alteration would appear at that time; when it came he could not avoid fancying himself worse and worse every moment; and very soon after he was so extremely ill, that he could not sit up any longer, so that to bed he went; and his distemper increasing the next day, as Doctor de Retourgnac had foretold, his appetite was totally lost, and the noise of his illness spread over the whole town, to the great credit and honour of the mountebank Baron. And although Mr. Steevens was very unwilling to send for him, fearing it might tend to lessen his own reputation in future, yet he was persuaded that all the medicines in the world, without his assistance, would be unavailing.

So that on the next day, a fever ensuing, (which was inevitable with a man of such notions,) by the advice of his wife and some friends, he at last sent for Doctor de Retourgnac ; who, being come, took no notice of ever having seen his patient before, felt his pulse, asked such questions as he thought proper, told that his disease was of a very dangerous nature, that he had not found any physician in England who knew how to manage it properly, but that still he had hopes of being able to recover him in a few days as he had been called in time; that if he cured him he would have forty guineas for his medicines and attendance; and that if he did not succeed he was willing to forfeit a thousand.

To these terms the apothecary gladly consented, and the Doctor went home to prepare something to relieve him; we may suppose any simple thing would do, for the cure was to be effected not by the medicine but by the physician.

From this moment he began to mend apace, so that, in short, the cure was perfected in four or five days, and the Doctor not only received his stipulated reward, but was extolled in an extraordinary manner.

After Mr. Steevens was quite well again, he was very anxious to know by what rule or method an approaching distemper could be found out, and how the cure was to be worked. He thought if he could by any means obtain this secret, he should be happy, and then be able to vie with any of his professional competitors in England. So after he had made a proposal to the Doctor for the purchase of this secret, and had taken a great deal of pains about it, he at last agreed with him to be taught this occult science for a hundred guineas. And when, to his great joy, the bargain was struck, and the money paid, the mountebank Baron gave him a paper neatly folded and sealed, which as he said, contained the whole art and mystery.

The apothecary, with great impatience, broke the seal, and to his great surprise found the paper contained nothing but the identical nostrum in his own hand-writing, which he had formerly sold to Mr. Turner, being only-CONCEIT CAN KILL,

AND CONCEIT CAN CURE.

He remained some time as if stunned, till the Doctor burst into a fit of laughing, and discovering himself, asked him whether he did not approve of the secret ? The apothecary was obliged to be satisfied, finding that by his own documents he had been diseased and restored. And Monsieur le Baron de Retourgnac, now Dr. Turner, by following his master's advice when his father purchased the secret, not only recovered the principal, but four times as much in addition, besides his fee, and had the pleasure of returning the compliment to his old master, by properly trying this most excellent nostrum, and experimentally proving it to be infallible.

DR. COLE'S COMMISSION.

Queen Mary having dealt severely with the Protestants in England, about the latter end of her reign, signed a commission for to take the same course with them in Ireland; and to execute the same with greater force, she nominates Dr. Cole one of the commissioners. This doctor coming with the commission to Chester, on his journey, the mayor of that city, hearing that her majesty was sending a messenger into Ireland, and he being a churchman, waited on the doctor, who,

in discourse with the mayor, taketh out of a cloak-bag a leather box, saying unto him, "Here is a commission that shall lash the heretics in Ireland," calling the Protestants by that name. The good woman of the house, being well affected to the Protestant religion, and also having a brother, named John Edmonds, of the same, then a citizen in Dublin, was much troubled at the doctor's words, but watching her convenient time, while the mayor took his leave, and the doctor complimented him down the stairs, she opened the box, takes the commission out, and places in lieu thereof a sheet of paper, with a pack of cards wrapped up therein, the knave of clubs being placed uppermost. The doctor coming up to his chamber, suspecting nothing of what had been done, put up the box as formerly. The next day, going to the water side, wind and weather serving him, he sails towards Ireland, and landed on the seventh of October, 1558, at Dublin; then coming to the castle, the lord Fitz-Walter, being lord deputy, sent for him, to come before him and the privy council, who coming in, after he had made a speech, relating upon what account he came over, he presents the box unto the lord deputy, who causing it to be opened, that the secretary might read the commission, there was nothing save a pack of cards, with the knave of clubs uppermost, which not only startled the lord deputy and council, but the doctor, who assured him, he had a commission, but knew not how it was gone. Then the lord deputy made answer, "Let us have another commission, and we will shuffle the cards in the meanwhile." The doctor, being troubled in his mind, went away, and returned into England, and coming to the court, obtained another commission; but staying for a wind on the water side, news came to him that the queen was dead. And thus God preserved the Protestants of Ireland.-See Cox's Hibernia Anglicana, or History of Ireland. Vol. II.

Queen Elizabeth was so delighted with this story, which was related to her by lord Fitz-Walter on his return to England, that she sent for Elizabeth Edmonds, whose husband's name was Mattershead, and gave her a pension of 401. during her life.

ANECDOTES OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

A prince, who is his own minister, and the only depositary of his secrets, commonly leaves an arduous task for the labours of his successor. This difficulty presented itself to Alexander, upon his ascending the throne of Macedonia; nor was this the only circumstance which rendered his situation ardu

ous.

Other competitors arose to share with him the govern

ment of the kingdom: but having crushed these dangerous enemies, he hastened into Greece to reap the fruits of his father's labours. During his stay at Corinth, curiosity led him to visit Diogenes the cynick. He found him basking in the sun, and having revealed himself to the philosopher, as the master of Macedon and Greece, inquired if he could do any thing to oblige him? "Yes," replied the philosopher, "by standing from between me and the sun." Upon which the king observed to his attendants, that if he were not Alexander, he would choose to be Diogenes. The cynick, however, found in his tub that independence of mind, which the monarch, amidst all his gratifications, could never attain.

Before leaving Caria, where his impatient activity had been so long detained, he committed the administration of that district to Ada, its ancient governess. The Persian monarch had unjustly deposed her from her authority; when, therefore, Alexander appeared in that province, Ada requested his assistance and the king having given her the command of the whole district, left three thousand foot and two hundred horse to support her authority. It is said that Ada would have sent to Alexander meats dressed in the most exquisite manner, and the most excellent cooks; but the king told the queen, on this occasion, that he had much better cooks himself, whom his governour Leonidas procured him; one of them prepared him a good dinner, and the other an excellent supper, and these were Temperance and Exercise.

On the third day of the voyage down the Indus to the Ocean, he received information, that the Oxydracians and Mallians were raising forces to oppose him. He therefore landed, and marched his forces through a desert country against the latter people. The barbarians were driven from the plain; their cities were successively besieged and taken; but at the storm of their capital, a scene was transacted which indicated the temerity and folly of this celebrated general. The enemy having obtained possession of the streets of the city, the Mallians were compelled to betake themselves to the citadel. The fortress was defended by a thick wall, which was extremely lofty without, but towards the inner circumference of an inconsiderable height. The king immediately gave orders to scale the walls, and the soldiers began to execute his commands; but Alexander, impatient of delay, seized a ladder, and placing it against the battlement, mounted himself.

The Macedonians, alarmed by the danger of their king, followed in such numbers, that the ladder broke as Alexander reached the summit. Several other ladders were also broken. The king by these accidents was left for some moments to