of the servitude of Elnathan in the temple of Aesculapius. But the
same consolation was afforded to both the jurist and the leech, for
Dr. Todd was quite as much on a level with his own peers of the
profession in that country, as was Marmaduke with his brethren on the
bench.

Time and practice did wonders for the physician. He was naturally
humane, but possessed of no small share of moral courage; or, in other
words, he was chary of the lives of his patients, and never tried
uncertain experiments on such members of society as were considered
useful; but, once or twice, when a luckless vagrant had come under his
care, he was a little addicted to trying the effects of every phial in
his saddle-bags on the strangers constitution. Happily their number
was small, and in most cases their natures innocent. By these means
Elnathan had acquired a certain degree of knowledge in fevers and
agues, and could talk with judgment concerning intermittents,
remittents, tertians, quotidians, etc. In certain cutaneous disorders
very prevalent in new settlements, he was considered to be infallible;
and there was no woman on the Patent but would as soon think of
becoming a mother without a husband as without the assistance of Dr.
Todd. In short, he was rearing, on this foundation of sand a
superstructure cemented by practice, though composed of somewhat
brittle materials. He however, occasionally renewed his elementary
studies, and, with the observation of a shrewd mind, was comfort ably
applying his practice to his theory.

In surgery, having the least experience, and it being a business that
spoke directly to the senses, he was most apt to distrust his own
powers; but he had applied oils to several burns, cut round the roots
of sundry defective teeth, and sewed up the wounds of numberless wood