F.—How does the patient know?
D.—The fool asks me.
F.—Amiable instructor! How shall I reward thee?
D.—Eat a cucumber cut up in shilling claret.
DOCTOR.—The relation between a patient and his disease is the same as that which obtains between the two wooden weather-prophets of a Dutch clock. When the disease goes off, the patient goes on; when the disease goes on, the patient goes off.
FOOL.—A pauper conceit. Their relations, then, are not of the most cordial character.
D.—One's relations—except the poorer sort—seldom are.
F.—My tympanum is smitten with pleasant peltings of wisdom! I 'll lay you ten to one you cannot tell me the present condition of your last patient.
D.—Done!