 The Doctors, therefore, all
previous Ceremonies being complied with, as this was a new Patient, attended,
according to Desire, and laid hold on each of her Hands, as they had before done
on those of the Corpse.
    The Case of the Lady was in the other Extreme from that of her Husband; for,
as he was past all the Assistance of Physic, so, in reality, she required none.
    There is nothing more unjust, than the vulgar Opinion by which Physicians
are misrepresented, as Friends to Death. On the contrary, I believe, if the
Number of those who recover by Physic could be opposed to that of the Martyrs to
it, the former would rather exceed the latter. Nay, some are so cautious on this
Head, that, to avoid a Possibility of killing the Patient, they abstain from all
Methods of curing, and prescribe nothing but what can neither do good nor harm.
I have heard some of these, with great Gravity, deliver it as a Maxim, That
Nature should be left to do her own Work, while the Physician stands by, as it
were to clap her on the Back, and encourage her when she doth well.
    So little then did our Doctors delight in Death, that they discharged the
Corpse after a single Fee; but they were not so disgusted with their living
Patient; concerning whose Case they immediately agreed, and fell to prescribing
with great Diligence.
    Whether, as the Lady had at first persuaded her Physicians to believe her
ill, they had now, in return, persuaded her to believe herself so, I will not
determine; but she continued a whole Month with all the Decorations of Sickness.
During this Time she was visited by Physicians, attended by Nurses, and received
constant Messages from her Acquaintance, to enquire after her Health.
    At length, the decent Time for Sickness and immoderate Grief being expired,
the Doctors were discharged, and the Lady began to see Company; being altered
only from what she was before by that Colour of Sadness in which she had dressed
her Person and Countenance.
    The Captain was now interred, and might, perhaps, have already made a large
Progress towards Oblivion, had not the Friendship of Mr. Allworthy taken Care to
preserve his Memory, by the following Epitaph, which was written by a Man of as
great Genius as Integrity, and one who perfectly well knew the Captain.
 
                                   Here lies,
                       In Expectation of a joyful Rising,
                                  The Body of
                              Captain JOHN BLIFIL.
                                     LONDON
                          had the Honour of his Birth,
                                     OXFORD
                               of his Education.
                                   His Parts
                        were an Honour to
