Although everybody in the company affected the utmost surprise, I
could easily perceive it was a scheme concerted among them to produce
diversion at the doctor's expense, and being under no concern about
the consequence, I entered into the confederacy, and enjoyed the
distress of Wagtail, who with tears in his eyes begged the protection
of the company, declaring himself as innocent of the crime laid to
his charge as the foetus in utero; and hinting at the same time,
that nature had not put it in his power to be guilty of such
a trespass. "Nature!" cried the lady, "there was no nature in the
case; he abused me by the help of charms and spells; else how is
it possible that any woman could have listened to the addresses
of such a scarecrow? Were these owlish eyes made for ogling; that
carrion complexion to be admired; or that mouth, like a horse-shoe,
to be kissed? No, no, you owe your success to your philtres, to
your drugs and incantations; and not to your natural talents, which
are, in every respect, mean and contemptible."
The doctor thought he had got an opportunity of vindicating himself
effectually; and desired the complainant to compose herself but
for half-an-hour, in which he undertook to prove the absurdity
of believing in the power of incantations, which were only idle
dreams of ignorance and superstition.
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