Chapter XXVI: Letter VII: Professions--Physic

[Jam mala finissem letho; sed credula vitam
Spes fovet, et fore cras semper ait melius.]

_Tibullus_ [Lib. II. vi. vv. 19-20].

He fell to juggle, cant, and cheat----
For as those fowls that live in water
Are never wet, he did but smatter;
Whate'er he labour'd to appear,
His understanding still was clear.
A paltry wretch he had, half-starved,
That him in place of zany served.

_Butler's Hudibras_ [Part II. Canto iii].

The Worth and Excellence of the true Physician--Merit not the sole
Cause of Success--Modes of advancing Reputation--Motives of
medical Men for publishing their Works--The great Evil of
Quackery--Present State of advertising Quacks--Their Hazard--Some
fail, and why--Causes of Success--How Men of Understanding are
prevailed upon to have Recourse to Empirics, and to permit their
Names to be advertised--Evils of Quackery: to nervous Females; to
Youth; to Infants--History of an advertising Empiric, &c.