The Doctor’s cousin, like the Doctor, was not a fop; and as much could scarcely be said of the profession generally. Granger says indeed of Dr. Col that he was not a coxcomb. This was at a time when the physicians were coxcombs; and the apothecaries, who followed and copied the more dignified brethren, were coxcombs and meta-physicians. The medical coxcomb of the day has thus been dressed up by a popular poet:—
“Each son of Sol, to make him look more big,
Had on a large, grave, decent, three-tail’d wig;
His clothes full-trimm’d, with button-holes behind;
Stiff were the skirts with buckram stoutly lined;
The cloth, cut velvet, or more reverend black,
Full made, and powder’d, half-way down his back;
Large decent cuffs, which near the ground did reach,
With half-a-dozen buttons fix’d on each.
Grave were their faces, fix’d in solemn state!