Then he

66

secting room, winter and summer, by the command of the circle. He ate six o'clock at the latest, by eight he was largely, but cared not what; after twelve dressed for the day and at the service of hours of such exertion, he, as he said, gratuitous patients, who usually occu- "could digest any thing but saw-dust." pied him till half-past nine, an honour- During dinner he drank two or three able custom which he never abandoned, large tumblers of water, and afterwards fond as he was of money. His break-two glasses of port, no more. fast with his family occupied but a few threw himself back in his chair and minutes, and by ton his waiting-rooms slept. He seldom required to be roused, were thronged with patients, who con- but awoke exactly as the allotted ten tinued to stream in by the dozen until minutes expired, started up, gave a one o'clock. To the right of the hall parting smile to every body in the room, were two large rooms occupied by gen- and in a few seconds was again on his tlemen patients; two drawing rooms, way to the hospital." There was a lecimmediately above were appropriated ture every other evening during the seato the reception of ladies. The hall son, on the odd nights, however, the had generally servants waiting for an- carriage was equally at his door by eight, swers to notes, the ante-room was for the and he continued his round of visits one or two patients next in succes- till midnight, often till one or two in the sion. The farther room on the right morning. His carriage was well lighted, was full of gentlemen waiting their turn. and by night as well as by day, in passThese were anxious perhaps, but still, sing from one house to another, his in a much less pitiable state than the attendant was writing to his dictation— occupants of the first to the right. All the chronicle of each case kept pace with in this room had undergone some opera- the symptoms. "And Sunday shone tion, which unfitted them for the present no sabbath day for him." Such, we are to leave the house. These patients used told, for full fifteen years was the exto remain in the room until either their istence of the great surgeon of Broad pain had ceased, or Mr. Cooper himself Street, St. Mary Axe.. dismissed them after completing the operation to which they had been subjected. Sometimes the people in the hall and ante-room were so numerous and importunate that he dreaded the ordeal of explaining the necessity for his departure. He was in the habit, under such circumstances, of escaping through the back yard into his stables, and so into the passage by the side of Bishopsgate church. He would run round past his carriage, standing at the front door, into Wormwood Street, to which place his coachman, who well understood the ruse, would immediately follow him. He was in a few minutes at Guy's, where a hundred pupils were waiting on the steps. They followed him into the wards of the hospital and from bed to bed until the clock struck two, then rushed across the street to the anatomical theatre, and the lecture began. At three he went to the dissecting-rooms, and observation, direction, and instruction kept him busy here for half an hour. Then he got into his carriage, attended by a dresser, and his horses were hard at work until seven or half-past seven. His family were assembled, dinner was instantly on the table, and he sat down apparently fresh in spirits, with his attention quite at

The following portrait of him is from the pen of Mr. Travers, one of the most distinguished of his pupils: Astley Cooper, when I first knew him, had decidedly the handsomest, that is, the most intelligent and finely-formed countenance and person of any man I remember to have seen. He wore his hair powdered, with a queue, then the custom, and having dark hair, and always a fine healthy glow of colour in his cheeks, this fashion became him well. He was remarkably upright, and moved with grace, vigour, and elasticity: nor was he altogether unconscious of the fine proportions of his frame, for he would not unfrequently throw his wellshaped leg upon the table at a lecture, when describing an injury or operation of the lower limb, that he might more graphically demonstrate the subject of his discourse. He would look at particular or urgent cases before and after lecture, and he generally went round à loisir, as a florist would visit his parterre, with two or three elder students on a Sunday morning." Dr. Roots says of him: "From the period of Astley's appointment to Guy's, until the moment of his latest breath, he was everything and all to the suffering and afflicted; his name was a host, but his

however, had a greater right to the natural satisfaction of reflecting that human suffering had been largely relieved by his ministry.

In 1815 Mr. Cooper removed from Broad Street in the city, to New Street, Spring Gardens, in the neighbourhood of the Court, as he had now come into very great practice among the nobility and gentry of London. About the same time also he retired from his professorship at the Royal College. Some time after taking up his residence at the west end, although not on the Royal establishment, he was chosen by George IV. to remove an "ugly tumour from his head." It was rumoured abroad at the time, that on this occasion the great

presence brought confidence and comfort; and I have often observed, that on an operating day, should any thing occur of an untoward character in the theatre, the moment Astley Cooper entered, and the instrument was in his hand, every difficulty seemed overcome, and safety generally ensued." A high character, and, in a great measure, a true one. Sir Astley Cooper, nevertheless, is declared by some to have been a great actor in his way, and his love of display is alleged to have been as obvious on such occasions as his skill. Like many other actors of less importance, he had an unbounded confidence in his own abilities; and his admirable manual dexterity is stated to have been the result of his retaining | anatomist's nerves failed him, and that the most perfect possession of himself in the operating theatre. He was kind and hospitable to his pupils, whose reverence and submission made them attentive listeners; and, under the habitual impression of his great professional ability, admiring spectators of the most ordinary operations when performed by him.

With his private patients he was also very popular, more so perhaps than any other contemporary practitioner in either branch. His goodly person had its effect with the ladies, his good-nature with all, and his affectation of feeling with most. John Hunter is said to have turned pale as death whenever he had to use the knife; even the comparatively coarse and rough-humoured Abernethy could never think of an operation without heart sickness. It was the same with Sir Charles Bell and many other distinguished men who might be named. All, however, came and went more easily with Astley Cooper; with scarcely any feeling, but with oil enough for every wound, he was the conveyer of more comfort than any one of his more sensitive brethren. With his hospital patients, however, we do not find that he was much in the habit of using the oil alluded to. Amongst them, and surrounded by his obsequious pupils, in whom, no doubt, he found ready laughers, Sir Astley's conduct was most remarkable for a facetiousness, which, to all but his attendant dressers and box carriers, must have been excessively dismal. And even with himself was probably as far from being genuine as it was unquestionably unbecoming and inappropriate. No man,

Mr. Cline, who was present, performed
the operation. This, however, we be-
lieve to have been but " a weak inven-
tion of the enemy."
And the story re-
ceives a sufficient confutation from the
fact of the king soon afterwards making
Mr. Cooper his sergeant-surgeon, and,
in due time, conferring upon him also
the title of baronet. This latter cir-
cumstance completed the change which
time and prosperity had been gradually
working in his political sentiments.
There are some interesting passages in
his Notes of this period; and they are
for the most part not only entertaining,
but well written. The following is not
perhaps one of the best, but it is a fair
average specimen, and possesses, besides
the additional recommendation to us of
being shorter than most of the others.
Sir Astley writes of the king. 'He
often awoke early, and read from five
or six o'clock in the morning until nine
or ten, and thus he became acquainted
with all the new books of every descrip-
tion which he read, novels, pamphlets,
voyages, travels, and plays. And he
liked to talk of them. He usually re-
ceived me at from ten to eleven o'clock,
in his bed, chatted with me for half an
hour or an hour, and was generally very
agreeable, although now and then irri-
table. He was not strictly attentive to
facts, but embellished all his stories to
render them more amusing, so that it
would not answer always to repeat his
sayings of others. When ill the king
would never allow that it was caused by
his own imprudence. One morning his
tongue was white, and he was much
heated. By G-' said he, it is very
extraordinary that I should be thus

It

heated, for I lived very abstemiously, than they are in the habit of receiving and went to bed in good time. I must from the most common-place nonsense. have some beaume de vie, sir.' When However, revenons à nos moutons. we went out of the room, W— said, 'you will be almost a superfluous piece of inmust not professionally act upon what telligence to make known that Sir Astley his Majesty said, he was drinking mar- was by this time very rich, and he now aschino at two o'clock this morning.' affected more silkiness of manners He was a good judge (continues Sir and finery of habits than he used in Astley) of the medicine which would his city days. He also indulged himbest suit him. He bore enormous doses self by purchasing a considerable esof opiates, one hundred drops of lauda- tate in Hertfordshire, with a handsome num for instance. In bleeding, also, mansion and grounds, to which he I have known from twenty to twenty- often retired for repose and relaxation. five ounces taken from him several By degrees, it is said, he became extimes. He was irregular in his times tremely fond of the place, and usually for eating and drinking. Bring me spent three days of the week there. cold chicken,' he would say at eleven, For a full and particular account of the before he rose. Yes, sire. Bring it, sports and pastimes most in vogue at and give me a goblet of soda-water.' the medical, Baronet's rural retreat with Soon after he ate again, and at dinner himself and the brother sportsmen and largely; but he did not in general drink visitors, who at different times shared much at dinner, unless tempted by the his hospitality, those who feel any curisociety of men he liked." osity on the subject are referred to Mr. Bransby Cooper's book. The guests, however, we may remark by the way, consisted principally of physicians or surgeons of renown; (with accomplished men beyond his own calling Sir Astley, indeed, never seems to have held nor desired to hold much social intercourse.) And as an illustration of how little it took to entertain them, we make room for the subjoined fragment, which will also serve as a mild sample of the staple run of anecdotes with which Mr. Cooper has tastefully enlivened the greater portion of his narrative. 'It rarely happens," says he, "but that one or two of the dogs which we had out with us, had been submitted by Sir Astley to some operation or experiment, which, in some measure, accounted for their inferiority as sporting dogs! Some amusement was always afforded by the timidity which these animals manifested when near my uncle." Just so, what the dogs were deficient in for sport in one way they made up for in anotherhumane guests! wonderful uncle! sensible nephew! As a kind of set-off to this, however, it would be unfair not to mention a more becoming feature in Sir Astley's Hertfordshire pursuits. With that keen eye to the main chance which characterised him so strongly throughout his life, he now spent a considerable part of his time as follows: Michael, his coachman, having informed him that the horses sold at Smithfield were almost all cripples, "my uncle," (says Mr. Bransby,)" desired him to go

This is, in all conscience, but a sorry picture of regal life and manners; it bears, however, the impress of fidelity, and our readers, no doubt, will gladly turn from it, to this sketch of an illustrious lady, but recently passed from among us, which is equally remarkable for its unexaggerated truthfulness. Sir Astley was also sergeant-surgeon to King William IV., and thus he speaks of the late Queen Adelaide: "We often saw the Queen, who appeared a most amiable lady, elegant but simple in her manners, and sensible in her conversation. She was, in truth, an excellent person, and, though gracing the dignified position which she occupied, would equally have made an admirable clergyman's wife, and in such a situation have employed herself among her parishioners in acts of kindness and benevolence from morning to night." As a specimen of parasitical twaddle, which it would be impossible to surpass, we cannot refrain from also extracting what follows: "The abilities of George IV., were of the first order. He would have made the first physician or surgeon of his time, the first lawyer, the first speaker in the House of Commons or Lords, though, perhaps, (hesitatingly observes Sir Astley,) not the best divine. As a king he was prosperous, for he had the good sense to be led by good ministers, although, however, he did not like them all." The last sentence will be puzzling to those who endeavour to extract any other meaning or information from it,

on him for pecuniary support to themselves, and pensions to their families." Perhaps as the law then stood, it may reluctantly be admitted that it was impossible for any man who was ambitious of becoming a great anatomist, to accomplish his object, without occasionally conniving at such unhallowed practices. The less, however, that is said, under that view of the case, the better. Sir Astley in his time is stated to have instructed no fewer than 8000 surgeons -and some idea may be gathered from this, of the extremely fearful extent to which he must have had recourse to the odious services of these malefactors. The recklessness with which he employed them, and the liberal encouragement he gave to them, cannot be palliated, however, by any plea of necessity, and we gladly turn from the contemplation of a most nefarious, and iniquitous business, which, as systematically fostered and upheld by him, must for ever sadly lower him in the estimation of every man who is not utterly destitute of all sense of social, moral, and religious obligation.

disheartening obstacles and privations with which, at the outset of their career, many men of equal skill and superior talents have had to contend. Yet there is nothing upon record which indicates that Sir Astley ever evinced or felt anything like a lasting gratitude for the unmistakeable benefits thus from time to time conferred upon him. Indeed the reverse of this is almost made manifest, and were we to judge from the alacrity with which, when he saw it expedient to do so in order to attain a highly coveted object, he publicly made known his intention of relinquishing "the companionship and intimacy of his late democratical friends," we should incline to the belief that gratitude occupied as diminutive a space in the composition of Sir Astley Cooper, as either refinement of intellect or benevolence of disposition. "Number one," was his motto through life; the “main chance," his most prized maxim. Slice after slice of good luck fell to his share, only still further to stimulate his faculty of acquisitiveness, and his untiring powers of perseverance. A busy, bustFrom the brief abstract of his career ling, plodding, lucre-grasping existence now before them, however, our readers his, with scarcely a pause, nothing in will be enabled to form their own the shape of a lull or a rest worth menopinion of Sir Astley Cooper. They tioning from beginning to end. To the will have seen what proportion of his last he strove, never content, still strove great wealth and honours was due to to make more money. Medicine as a his own undoubted qualifications for science is indebted to him for no new the profession of his choice,-to his discovery, and practical surgery for little unwearied industry in practice,—to his else, save, probably, a few extra flouzeal and attention as a lecturer,-to the rishes and novel graces of the scalpel. incessant pains he bestowed upon the The most it is feared that can be said cultivation of the practical part of the in his praise, is that he was an unpresurgical art, and lastly, to the un- cedentedly popular practitioner, more questionable skill which in time was so perhaps than any other who has ever the inevitable result of this application. lived-and-that he left a large fortune They will also have seen for how much behind him—a kind of medical king, just of his success in life he was indebted as George Hudson is ycleped a railway to the good offices of his early friend king, and for precisely similar reasons, and benefactor, Mr. Cline. Through the unwieldiness of his coffers, and the that gentleman's friendly instrumen-obesity of his bank-books. To the aptality he received his first appointment pellation of a great surgeon, Sir Astley as a public lecturer-Mr. Cline, again, helped him to a rich wife, and subsequently, Mr. Cline turned over to his favourite pupil a share of his most lucrative practice. In Sir Astley's case there seems to have been no struggling with difficulties, on the contrary his path upwards to fame and fortune was thus rendered comparatively smooth and easy, and entirely freed from those

Cooper is, we will allow, most indispu tably entitled; but to the far higher accompanying distinctions of having been also a noble-minded and humane man, and a good Christian, we cannot reconcile ourselves to the opinion, that he possesses the remotest shadow of a claim.

W. M. R.