The Surgeon's Daughter

g Nature cal

Death prepa

ous remed

f art witho

darkest ca

care was

s Anguish pou

Want reti

mock'd by

ins disclai

t wants o

f every da

L JOH

ribes Gideon Gray, and many other village doctors, from whom Scotland reaps more benefit, and to

at least, of his own health and life, the Scottish village doctor receives at best a very moderate recompense, often one which is totally inadequate, and very frequently none whatever. He has none of the ample resources proper to the brothers of the profession in an English town. The burgesses of a Scottish borough are rendered, by their limited means of luxury, inaccessible to gout, surfeits, and all the comfortable chronic diseases which are attendant on wealth and indolence. Four years, or so, of abstemiousness, enable them to stand an electio

are required, either to bring a wretch into the world, or prevent one from leaving it, the scene of misery is often such, that, far from touching the hard-saved shillings which are gratefully offered to him, he bestows his medicines as well as his attendance-for charity. I have heard the celebrated traveller Mungo Park, who had experienced both courses of life, rather give the preference to travelling as a discoverer in Africa, than to wandering by night and day the wilds of his native land in the capacity of a country medical practitioner. He mentioned having once upon a time rode forty miles, sat up all night, and successfully assisted

ut, nor had any friend hinted to him, that a slight touch of the cynic, in manner and habits, gives the physician, to the common eye, an air of authority which greatly tends to enlarge his reputation. Mr. Gray, or, as the country people called him, Doctor Gray, (he might hold the title by diploma for what I know, though he only claimed the rank of Master of Arts,) had few wants, and these were amply supplied by a professional income which generally approached two hundred pounds a year, for which, upon an average, he travelled about five thousand miles on horseback in the course of the twelve months. Nay, so liberally did this revenue support himself and his ponies, called Pestle and Mortar, w

n, &c. &c. Some of the idle young fellows, who had been a minute or two before loitering at the other end of the street before the door of the alehouse, (for the pretended inn deserved no better name,) now accompanied the old dames with shouts of laughter, excited by their unwonted agility; and with bets on the winner, as loudly expressed as if they had been laid at the starting post of Middlemas races. "H

haracter was that of a good-natured simpleton; "Here's Peg Tamson, Jean

smounted from a long journey,) hastened down stairs, arguing some new occasion for his services, and h

pense, for the time, of her power of utterance; for when she came in presence of the Doctor, she stood blowing like a grampus, her loose toy flying back

y, sir, t

ison Jaup; while Luckie Simson, who had certainly won the race,

the sick-nurse; I was here to bring you the

two competitors, and loud the laugh of the

." So saying, he smacked his long-lashed whip with great emphasis, producing much the effect of the celeb

understand, that the gentleman thought the accommodation of the Swan Inn totally unfit for his lady's rank and condition, and had, by their advice, (each claiming the merit of the suggestion,) brough

leeping apartment, and under the respectable charge of the Doctor and his lady, who assured him once more of every species of attention. To bind their promise more firmly, the stranger slipped a purse of twenty guineas (for this story chanced in the golden age) into the hand of the Doctor, as an earnest of the most liberal recompense, and reque

ave reached Edinburgh, but were forced to turn off the road by an accident." Once more

rol. Nature must not be hurried, and she

much," and he proffered a second pur

only be for promising, by implication at least, what is beyond my power to perform. Every possible care shall be taken of your lady, and that affords the best chance of her being speedily able

tor-what languages

fferently, and so as to be underst

or Spanish?" cont

, s

s of French. Take notice, you are to comply with her request

by what name th

stranger, interrupting the question;

he Doctor would have found it difficult to imitate, and walked down the street to the little inn. Here he paid and dis

und his wife in great surprise, which, as is usual with per

ord like a Christian

t," said

black fause-face, and skirls

her wear it-What

honest woman brought to b

ust be brought to bed all the same as those who are, and we are not to

dy; such as women of rank still wore in travelling, but certainly never in the situation of this poor lady. It would seem she had sustained impor

iberty to wear the mask till it was her pleasure to lay it aside. She understood him; for she replied, by a very imperfect att

ituation of sick-nurse beside the delicate patient; that Peg Thomson was permitted the privilege of recommending her good-daughter, Bet Jamieson, to be wet-nurse; and an oe, or grandchild, of Luckie

inted the stranger gentleman, that he wished him joy of being the father of a heal

faction, and then exclaimed, "He must be chris

hurry for that,

I may be obliged to leave this place before the lady is able to travel, I desire to see my child rec

an, sir, Mr. Goodriche, who

t is dangerous to be too positive on any subject. I wil

in the Cameronian regiment, as my regimental Bible and commission can testify. But although I be bound especially to abhor all trafficking or trinketing with Papists, yet I will not stand in the way of a tender conscience. Sir, you may call with

stranger haughtily, "w

esumed that the solemnity of baptism was administered to the unconscious being, thus strangely launched upon the world. When the priest and witnesses had retired, the strange gentleman informed Mr. Gray, that, as the

are we to call the

t's name i

must the lady-She cannot reside in

of your town here-Mid

s,

he continued, "will provide Mrs. Middlemas in every thing she may wish to possess-or assist her in case of accidents." With that he pl

d receive for it. No, Mr. Gray, I assure you you will find Mrs. Middleton-Middlemas-what did I call her-as ignorant of the affairs of this world as any one you have

engthened Gray in his opinion, that he had before him a case either of seduction, or of private marriage, betwixt persons of the very highest rank; and the whole bearing, both of the lady and the gentleman, confirmed his suspicions. It was not in his nature to be troublesome or inquisitive, but he could not fail to see that the lady wore no marriage-ring; and her deep sorrow, and perpetual tremor, seemed to indicate an unhap

this poor thing, as many a poor girl has been used before, I hope that my house will not be the scene in which he chooses to desert her. The leaving the money has somewhat a suspicious aspect,

perience dictated the best mode of relief and tranquillity. He caused her infant to be brought to her. She wept over it for a long time, and the violence o

t evident she desired to give no indication of the direction of her companion's journey, and repeatedly compared, her watch with those of others; exercising, it was evident, all that delusive species of mental arithmetic by which mortals attempt to accelerate the passage of Time while they calculate his progress. At other tim

have news from Mr. Middlemas, as he called himself. The interview was a very short one, and the priest left the lady's apartment in displeasure, which his prudence could scarce

o saw only her distress and desolation, and endeavoured to remedy both to the utmost of his power. He was, however, desirous to conceal it from his wife, and the others around the sick person, whose prudence and liberality of thinking might be more justly doubted. He there

xious, both on his own account and the poor lady's, lest the stranger should have actually entertained the idea of deserting this defenceless and probably injured woman. He longed to have some communication with her, which might enable him to judge what enquiries could be made, or what else was most fitting to be done. But so imperfect was the poor young woman's knowledge of the French language,

p; some blaming Gray for taking foreign landloupers [Footnote: Strollers.] into his house, on the subject of whose morals the most serious doubts might be entertained; others envying the "bonny hand" the doctor was like to make of it,

of the stranger might be considered as perfect, when Gray, returning from one of his ten-mile visits, saw a post-chaise and four horses at the door. "This man has returned," he said, "and my suspicions have done him less than justice." With that he spurred his horse, a signal which the trusty steed obeyed the more readily, as its progress was in the direction of the stable door. But wh

e in his wife's good intentions than her prudence, he lost no time in pushing into the parlour, to take the matter into his own hands. Here he found his helpmate at the head of the whole militia of the sick lady's apartment, that is, wet nurse, and sick nurse, and girl of all work, engaged in violent dispute with two strangers. The one was a dark-fea

for she had the grace to believe the Doctor one of the greatest m

red the man, "which is, that my warrant mus

his right hand against a paper which

he ought to lose no time in removing the cause into the proper court. "I am

am a king's messenger, and this lady has trea

ou propose to do here?" At the same time he whispered the little wench to call Mr. Lawford, the town-clerk, to come thith

aid the official, "and y

tell the Doctor his errand,

, "to carry away a lying-in woman as a gled [

delivered"-echoed

ours and seven minutes to

he females of his family, in their zeal for defending the character of their sex, might

on account of high treason. Sir, I have served his Majesty, and this is not a house in which traitor

aid the messenger, "is Zilia de Moncada, and here stands

actions, nor to oppose the laws of the land. There is a lady in this house slowly recovering from confinement, having become under this roof the moth

an militia were o

ak, and you that lives by women and weans, abune y

he younger nurse; "there's no a wife

ckie Simson; "but I believe him now to be an auld wife, little

en, this is a very sad case. Here is a warrant for a high crime against a poor creature, who is little fit to be removed from one house to another, much more dragged to a prison. I tell you plainl

with a voice as harsh as his aspect; "and you, messenger," he co

g to the Doctor himself, "I must h

elcome, Mr. Lawford. Your opinion here is much wanted as a man of law, as we

nger, understanding the new-comer to be a man

evertheless, if you are disposed to make oath, that instant removal would be unfavo

ne, on soul and conscience, that the shame and fear of her father's anger, and the sense of the affront of su

must execute his warrant though it should frighten the criminal to death; these evils are only contingent, not

be certain that the person in my

," replied the man whom th

means of his female prisoner, to acquire the information necessary to apprehend the more guilty person. If more delays were thrown in

he gallows for it, protest, that this course may be the m

too far, lest you bring yourself into trouble, which every body in Middlemas would be sorry for. The forty-five has not been so far gone by, but we can remember enough of warrants of high treason-ay, and ladies of quality committed upon such cha

of the distress which he was about to inflict, he led the way up the small staircase, and opening the door, said to Moncada, who had followed him,

her knees, beside an easy chair, her face in a silk wrapper that was hung over it. The man called Moncada uttered a single word; by the accent it might have been something equivalent to wretch; but none knew its import. The female gave a convulsive shudder, such as that by which a half-dying soldier is affected on receiving a second wound. But, without minding her emotion, Moncada seized her by the arm, and with little gentleness raised her to her feet, on which she seemed to stand only b

n and accent, "this woman is my daughter, the same Zilia Moncada who is signal'd in

n's daughter?" said

him know whether she was that man's daughter or not, assuring her of protection if the fact were

arrested his prisoner, and, with some delicacy, required the assis

will not," he said, "separat

alled to her recollection the existence of the helpless creature to which she had given birth, forgotten for a moment amongst the accumulated horro

hile the helpless mother sunk lifeless into the a

you must be grandfather to the helpless child; and you must settle in som

ho expressed himself satisfied of

aid he; "and if you, sir," addressing Gray, "choose to take charge o

lied, "I think so indifferently of the proceedings I have witnessed, and of those concerned in them,

position which he made seemed highly acceptable, as she started from the arms of the females, and, advancing to Gray, seized his hand, kissed it, bat

er indifferent French, "you hav

vested for the child's use, and advanced in such portions as his board and education might require. In the event of any correspondence on his account being neces

ou trouble me about these concerns, u

thing to-day which can induce me to desire a more intim

l name) had formally deposited with him. With every species of gesture, by which hands, eyes, and even feet, could express rejection, as well as in her own broken French, she repelled the reimbursement, while she entreated that Gray would consi

s been the seal of her dishonour," said the stern father. "Let us retire and leav

ited in silence, each busied with his own reflections, till, within the space

glad she has yet sense enough left to

's house as the little enclosure would permit. The messenger, mounted on a led horse, and accompanied by a servant and assistant, followed the carriage, which drove rapidly off, taking the road which leads to Edinburgh. All who had witnessed this strange scene, now departed to mak