low opium enough to kill a man, and will not be in the least
affected by it; and parsley, which is an innocent herb in the stomach of
a human being, is deadly poison to a parrot.

"I should deal in the same way, with the other pretence, of improving
our practice of surgery by experiment on living animals.

"Not long since, I saw the diseased leg of a dog cut off at the hip
joint. When the limb was removed, not a single vessel bled. Try the
same operation on a man--and twelve or fifteen vessels must be tied as a
matter of absolute necessity.

"Again. We are told by a great authority that the baking of dogs in
ovens has led to new discoveries in treating fever. I have always
supposed that the heat, in fever, is not a cause of disease, but a
consequence. However, let that be, and let us still stick to experience.
Has this infernal cruelty produced results which help us to cure scarlet
fever? Our bedside practice tells us that scarlet fever runs it course
as it always did. I can multiply such examples as these by hundreds when
I write my book.

"Briefly stated, you now have the method by which I propose to drag the
scientific English Savage from his shelter behind the medical interests
of humanity, and to show him in his true character,--as plainly as the
scientific Foreign Savage shows himself of his own accord. _He_ doesn't
shrink behind false pretences. _He_ doesn't add cant to cruelty. _He_
boldly proclaims the truth:--I do it, because I like it!"

Benjulia rose, and threw the letter on the floor.

_"I_ proclaim the truth," he said; _"I_ do it because I like it. There
are some few Englishmen who treat ignorant public opinion with the
contempt that it deserves--and I am one of them." He pointed scornfully
to the letter. "That wordy old fool is right about the false pretences.
Publish his book, and I'll buy a copy of it."

"That's odd," said Lemuel.

"What's odd?"

"Well, Nathan, I'm only a fool--but if you talk in that way of false
pretences and public opinion, why do you tell everybody that your horrid
cutting and carving is harmless chemistry? And why were you in such a
rage when I got into your workshop, and found you out? Answer me that!"

"Let me congratulate you first," said Benjulia. "It isn't every fool who
knows that he _is_ a fool. Now you shall have your answer. Before the
end of the year, all the world will be welcome to come into my workshop,
and see me at the employment of my life. Brother Lemuel