besides their board and lodging in the house; and, as they can earn more
at any other occupation, they seldom remain long in their situations. The
_infirmières_, or female servants, are much of the same description: badly
appointed, badly paid, negligent and rapacious, often pilfering a portion
of the allowance of provisions and wine prescribed to the patient for his
recovery. The general interference of the _soeurs_ is prejudicial.
Frequently, on the strength of their own medical opinions, they will
neglect the prescriptions; frequently they harass a patient about his
confession, when a calm state of mind is indispensable for his recovery.
They also often exercise their united influence against a medical man, to
protect favourite servants. They encumber all exertions for improvement,
so that, whenever any change is discussed, one of the first subjects for
consideration is, whether the _soeurs_ are likely to interfere. Of late,
however, their power has been somewhat checked. Under good regulations
they might, no doubt, be rendered serviceable; but every alteration of
their condition, with regard to the hospitals, to be an improvement, must
bring them nearer to the superior condition of responsible nurses, chosen
for their aptitude, and remunerated according to their merits."

"We have been compelled to state thus much of these orders. The
associations connected with persons of their sex and supposed rank, who
have taken the veil; their apparent devotedness to such amiable and
pre-eminently serviceable duties; their solemnity of exterior, and other
incidents--are so calculated to strike the eye and possess the imagination
of the beholder, that we are not surprised to perceive that they have
misled the judgment of the Doctor, since they constantly impose on others,
who have better opportunities for observation. The _soeur de charité_ is
too fine an object for the effusion of sentiment and romance, not to be
made the most of in these worldly and unpoetic times; and were it not that
the illusions thrown around this object might lead to practical errors, we