ocked to him the women attending on the court,
next, the chamber-maids of ladies of quality, who, upon the wonders they
related concerning the German doctor, were soon followed by some of their
mistresses.

Among all the compositions of a ludicrous and satirical kind, there never
existed any that could be compared to those of Lord Rochester, either for
humour, fire, or wit; but, of all his works, the most ingenious and
entertaining is that which contains a detail of the intrigues and
adventures in which he was engaged while he professed medicine and
astrology in the suburbs of London.

The fair Jennings was very near getting a place in this collection; but
the adventure that prevented her from it, did not, however, conceal from
the public her intention of paying a visit to the German doctor.

The first chamber-maids that consulted him were only those of the maids
of honour; who had numberless questions to ask, and not a few doubts to
be resolved, both upon their own and their mistresses' accounts.
Notwithstanding their disguise, he recognised some of them, particularly
Miss Temple's and Miss Price's maids, and her whom Miss Hobart had lately
discarded: these creatures all returned either filled with wonder and
amazement, or petrified with terror and fear. Miss Temple's chamber-maid
deposed that he assured her she would have the small-pox, and her
mistress the great, within two months at farthest, if her aforesaid
mistress did not guard against a man in woman's clothes. Miss Price's
woman affirmed that, without knowing her, and only looking in her hand,
he told her at first sight that, according to the course of the stars, he
perceived that she was in the service of some good-natured lady, who had
no other fault than loving wine and men. In short, every one of them,
struck with some particular circumstance relating to their own private
affairs, had either alarmed or diverted their mistresses with the
account, not failing, according to custom, to embellish the truth, in
order to enhance the wonder.

Miss Price, relating these circumstances one day to her new friend, the
devil immediately tempted her to go in person, and see what sort of a
creature this new magician was. This enterprise was certainly very rash;
but nothing was too rash for Miss Jennings, who was of opinion that a
woman might despise appearances, provided she was in reality virtuous.
Miss Price was all compliance, and thus having fixed upon this glorious