ollege of Surgeons
of England, is a specimen:

"SIR,--I have been informed you are in the habit of purchasing bodys
and allowing the person a sum weekly; knowing a poor woman that is
desirous of doing so, I have taken the liberty of calling to know the
truth.

"I remain, your humble servant."

[10]

On the back Sir Astley has written, "The _truth_ is that you deserve to be
hanged for such an unfeeling offer. A. C."

The idea at the present day has not died out; quite recently a man called
at the College of Surgeons, and offered to sell his body for a cash
payment. It is a fairly common experience of Curators of Pathological
Museums to have similar offers from persons suffering from a rare disease,
or a curious deformity.

[Illustration: MORTSAFE IN GREYFRIARS CHURCHYARD, EDINBURGH.]

CHAPTER II.

As has been stated in the previous chapter, there was no need of the
resurrection-men, so long as the teaching of anatomy was confined to the
Company of Barbers and Surgeons. It has also been pointed out that, as
late as 1714, Cheselden was reprimanded for having anatomical
demonstrations at his private house. Soon after this date, however, began
the establishment of private schools. Mr. Nourse, of St. Bartholomew's,
was one of the first to deliver public lectures at his own house. After a
time this probably became inconvenient, as we find his advertisement, in
1739, worded thus:

"ANATOMY.

"Designing to have no more lectures at my own house, I think it
proper to advertise that I shall begin a Course of Anatomy,
Chirurgical Operations and Bandages on Monday, the 11th of Nov., at
St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

"EDW. NOURSE, Assistant Surgeon
and Lithotomist to the said Hospital."

Percivall Pott, who was apprenticed to Nourse, followed his master's
example, and lectured on Surgery. In 1737 we find Dr. Fr. Nicholls
advertising thus:

"On Wednesday, the 2nd of February, at the House below the Bull Head,
in Lincoln's Inn Fields, at five in the evening, will begin a Course
of Anatomy and Physiology, introductory to the study and practice of
Physick in all its branches by Fr. Nicholls, M.D. N.B. A compendium
referring to the several matters, explain'd in these Lectures, is
sold by John Clarke, under the Royal Exchange, and F. Woodward, at
the Half Moon, within Temple Bar, Booksellers."

The following