d half-way
of the femur: and then, getting me between them, (three or four of the
women joining us, and listening with their mouths open, and all the signs
of ignorant wonder in their faces, as there appeared of self-sufficiency
in those of the artists,) did they by turns fill my ears with an
anatomical description of the leg and thigh; running over with terms of
art, of the tarsus, the metatarsus, the tibia, the fibula, the patella,
the os tali, the os tibae, the tibialis posticus and tibialis anticus, up
to the os femoris, to the acetabulum of the os ischion, the great
trochanter, glutaeus, triceps, lividus, and little rotators; in short, of
all the muscles, cartilages, and bones, that constitute the leg and thigh
from the great toe to the hip; as if they would show me, that all their
science had penetrated their heads no farther than their mouths; while
Sally lifted up her hands with a Laud bless me! Are all surgeons so
learned!--But at last both the gentlemen declared, that if she and her
friends would consent to amputation, they would whip off her leg in a
moment.

Mrs. Carter asked, To what purpose, if the operation would not save her?

Very true, they said; but it might be a satisfaction to the patient's
friends, that all was done that could be done.

And so the poor wretch was to be lanced and quartered, as I may say, for
an experiment only! And, without any hope of benefit from the operation,
was to pay the surgeons for tormenting her!

I cannot but say I have a mean opinion of both these gentlemen, who,
though they make a figure, it seems, in their way of living, and boast
not only French extraction, but a Paris education, never will make any in
their practice.

How unlike my honest English friend Tomkins, a plain serious, intelligent
man, whose art lies deeper than in words; who always avoids parade and
jargon; and endeavours to make every one as much a judge of what he is
about as himself!

All the time that the surgeons ran on with their anatomical process, the
wretched woman most frightfully roared and bellowed; which the gentlemen
(who showed themselves to be of the class of those who are not affected
with the evils they do not feel,) took no other notice of, than by
raising their voices to be heard, as she raised her's--being evidently
more solicitous to increase their acquaintance, and to propagate the
notion of their skill, than to attend to the clamours of the poor wretch
whom they were calle