One circumstance, on the occasion of his marriage, is very characteristic of him: namely, his not allowing it to interrupt, even for a day, a duty with which he rarely suffered anything to interfere—we mean the lecture at the hospital.
Many years after this, I met him coming into the hospital one day, a little before two (the hour of lecture), and seeing him rather smartly dressed, with a white waistcoat, I said:
"You are very gay to-day, Sir."
"Ay," said he; "one of the girls was married this morning."
"Indeed, Sir!" I said. "You should have given yourself a holiday on such an occasion, and not come down to lecture."
"Nay," returned he. "Egad! I came down to lecture the day I was married myself!"
On another occasion, I recollect his being sent for to a case just before lecture. The case was close in the neighbourhood, and it being a question of time, he hesitated a little; but being pressed to go, he started off. He had, however, hardly passed the gates of the hospital before the clock struck two, when, all at once, he said, "No, I'll be —— if I do!" and returned to the lecture-room.