SINGULAR ANECDOTES. 463 violent; and by turns I was delirious for an hour or two. This happened three or four times; and, nine days being over, the fever abated, and I began to mend; but my hand and arm were spotted like a snake; and continued fo all the fummer. In the autumn my arm fwelled, gathered, and burft; so away went the poifon, fpots, and all. Heaven be thanked for ridding me of such a cursed adversary.” SINGULAR ANECDOTES. IN one of those excurfions which the emperor Jofeph II. frequently took incog. he proceeded to Triefte. On his arrival he went into an inn, and asked if he could be accommodated with a good room: he was told that a German bishop had just engaged the last, and that there were only two small rooms, without chimneys, unoccupied. He defired a fupper to be prepared. He was told that there was nothing left but fome eggs and vegetables, the bishop and his fuite having befpoke all the poultry. The Emperor requested the bishop might be asked, if he would allow a ftranger to fup with him. The bishop refufed, and the Emperor fupped with one of the bishop's Almoners, who was not admitted to his mafter's table. He asked the Almoner what he was going to do at Rome? My Lord, he replied, is going to folicit a benefice of 50,000 livres, before the Emperor is informed of its being vacant. They changed the converfation. The Emperor wrote a letter to the chancellor of Rome, and another to his ambassador. He made the Almoner promise to deliver both letters, agreeable to their addrefs, on his arrival at Rome. He kept his promife. The Chancellor prefented the patent for the benefice to the aftonished Almoner. The late Duke of Bridgewater was a decided enemy to matrimony; and his Grace's diflike is confidently faid to have have originated in the following circumstance:-Very early in life, one of his juvenile friends requested his company in `the country, when he would have an opportunity of seeing a young lady whom his friend was on the point of marrying. The lady was very handfome; but he had lefs fidelity than beauty; and, though on the eve of matrimony, fhe took a fudden liking to the Duke, with whom the had an amour, which did not terminate in marriage. Perhaps fhe was allured by the title of Duchefs. The Duke, however, reflecting on her conduct, to his friend, and the easy facrifice she had made of her honour, not only refused to marry her, but conceived fuch an indelible disgust against the levity of the fex-very improperly condemning all for one-that he determined never to accompany a woman to the altar. Of the many wagers that almoft daily take place, few feem more extraordinary than the following: A few days ago, a landfman, named Kirr, for a bet of ten guineas, engaged to start with a boat at high water, which happened about three o'clock, and to pass through every arch of Blackfriars bridge, then to proceed to Westminster bridge, and repeat the fame there. After which he was to leave the boat at the landing-place, and proceed on foot to St. James's Park, to go round the paling in the park; and laftly, to return to the boat, all within the fpace of 55 minutes, which he completed, to the great furprise of many, in 46 minutes and a half. He finished his task at Blackfriars bridge in four minutes and a half, and rowed from thence to Westminster bridge in nine minutes. In five minutes more he was ready to proceed to the park, in 24 minutes time he had passed round the paling without hurrying himself; and in four minutes and a half longer, he walked to the boat, and claimed the wager. W. BU. AN EMINENT BRITISH PHYSICIAN. 465 W. BUCHAN, M. D. Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians, Edinburgh. MANY friends of this celebrated physician and great writer, as well as many of our fubfcribers, have recommended us to introduce into our Wonderful Museum a portrait of this popular philanthropift; and we cheerfully comply with their request, on account of his great abilities and usefulnefs to the world. This extraordinary and well-known medical gentleman was born about the year 1729, at Ancrum, in the county of Roxburgh, where his father was a reputable farmer. He received a liberal education at Edinburgh, and regularly studied physic, and other sciences, at the University there. He married a very amiable lady, who died fome years fince, by whom he had feveral children. He has a fon, at this time in great practice as a physician, residing at No. 6, Percy-street, Rathbone-place. Dr. Buchan has practiced with great fuccefs in various parts of Great-Britain, particularly at Sheffield, where he was appointed physician to the Foundling-Hofpital, in Yorkshire. His great abilities have not been known to the world by his extenfive practice only; but by the wonderful fale of his greatly admired and popular work, entitled, Domeflic Medicine, dedicated to Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart. a book confidered by moft families a defideratum next to the Bible. It was, we understand, firft printed in Scotland, about the year 1766, but the fale of it was confined to the north, until the Doctor came to refide in England; it has gone through eighteen editions, and has, from time to time, been materially altered and improved by the Doctor. This favourite book, which will no doubt immortalize the name of its author, has been tranflated in most foreign languages, and published all over modern Europe. The Doctor, a few years ago, favoured the world with his ObVol. I. Ne. 10. servations 30 servations on Venereal Complaints, and we have noticed his name prefixed to a pamphlet in which he recommends the ufe of fleecy hofiery to gouty and rheumatic habits. He is alfo author of many excellent effays and differtations published in various periodical works, and has lately announced his intention of publishing a work, which we understand has occupied a great deal of his time and attention, entitled, "Advice to Moth rs, refpecting their own Heath, and on the means of promoting the Health, Strength and Beauty of their Children.” The This remarkable gentleman never left the island of Great-Britain, but on one occafion when he went to Dunkirk, at the particular folicitation of a very intimate friend, who went thither for the recovery of his health. late Emprefs of Ruffia about the year 1788, complimented him through the medium of her ambaflador at this court, his excellency S. C. Warouzow, with a curious medallion of gold, as a token of the high opinion the entertained of his writings. On May 2, 1797, he received a letter of thanks from the Board of Agriculture, for his valuable obfervations concerning the Diet of the common people, recommending a method of living less expensive and more conducive to health than the prefent. He chiefly refides at No. 52 in Paternofter-row, and he keeps company with the first literary and philofophical characters of the age, and adds to that hilarity of conversation which is so much admired by his vifitors. Among his most intimate friends is that celebrated and able electrician, Mr. Lowndes, of St. Paul's Church-Yard, whofe medical electricity is in great vogue for the cure of many disorders incident to the human frame. He is liberal in his fentiments, unaffected in his manners, and very humane and charitable to the poor; a fteady friend to government, and on all occafions discountenancing every thing calculated to produce bad order in society. He |