Hunter was a philosopher in more senses than one; he had philosophy enough
to bear prosperity, as well as adversity, and with a rough exterior was a
very kind man. The poor could command his services more than the rich. He
would see an industrious tradesman before a duke, when his house was full
of grandees, "you have no time to spare," he would say, "you live by it;
most of these can wait, they have nothing to do when they go home." No man
cared less for the profits of the profession, or more for the honour of
it. He cared not for money himself, and wished the Doctor [his brother
William] to estimate it by the same scale, when he sent a poor man with
this laconic note:--

"Dear Brother,--The bearer wants your advice. I do not know the
nature of the case. He has no money, and you have plenty, so you are
well met."

"Yours, J. HUNTER."

He was applied to once to perform a serious operation on a tradesman's
wife; the fee agreed upon was twenty guineas. He heard no more of the case
for two months; at the end of which time he was called upon to perform it.
In the course of his attendance, he found out that the cause of the delay
had been the difficulty under which the patient's husband had laboured to
raise the money; and that they were worthy people, who had been
unfortunate, and were by no means able to support the expense of such an
affliction. "I sent back to the husband nineteen guineas, and kept the
twentieth," said he, "that they might not be hurt with an idea of too great
obligation. It somewhat more than paid me for the expense I had been at in
the business."