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"I promise you,” replied the boy, seeming as if regarding his master with great attention, "without doubt I be as clever at it as any 'prentice in the city; and upon the strength of my skilfulness at the mop, I did essay to frizzle up the locks of Gammer Griskin, who wanted them done in a hurry when you were from home, at the which I succeeded marvellously."

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1. I remember me well," said the old man, increasing in the gravity of his features, "when next I dressed the old woman I found one-half of her hair scorched to a cinder, and enquiring of her what she had done to her head, did hear that you had been practising on it—whereupon I said nothingremembering what is written in Epicurus, Nihil reliqui fecit,' the which translated is, 'hold thy tongu and thy prating shall do thee no harm.' However, you are at least well skilled in the practice of shaving, seeing that you have put the razor over the scalded pig's head pretty often, and with a proper degree of cunning."

"Ay, master, that have I," answered the apprentice quickly. "Indeed I have tried my skilfulness on others besides the chaps of dead pigs; for be it known to you, Gaffer Gravestone coming one morning before you were up, with a beard of a week's growth, to get rid of which he was in too great a hurry to wait your coming down, I took upon me to lather and shave him to a nicety."

"True," observed the barber chirurgeon with additional solemnity, "the sexton did complain to me, with a face covered with plaisters, that as well as slicing of a piece off his chin as big as a rose noble, and gashing of his cheek in three several places, you had completely cut off from beside his ear two moles of no ordinary size, that there had grown undisturbed and respected for a matter of forty years. But with some ado I managed to pacify him, upon promising that his face should look all the younger for it, and doing his cure free of expense; having in my mind at the time the words of that famous writer Averroes, Tenuit hoc pro positum,' that should be thus rendered in the vulgar, 'make amends if any have suffered by thee, but if it be not in thy power attempt it not, for thou canst never succeed in the doing of that which is impossible.'

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"Well, seeing that you have sufficient insight for the nonce into these matters," continued the old barber very seriously, methought 'twas fitting time you should be taught the more noble part of our excellent and profitable profession; so attend, and I will initiate you into the whole art and mystery of the breathing of a vein. See you this cabbage leaf?"

"I'faith, master, that I cannot fail of doing, it being right under my nose," replied the boy.

"Now, mark the different ridges in the leaf,"

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said Master Lather, pointing to them for his inspection. "It hath been written in Galen, In suam tutelam pervenissent,' which meaneth-man be exceeding like unto a cabbage leaf. And the similarity is manifest-for there be veins in the leaf, and there be veins in man also. Now, in the breathing of a vein it requireth some dexterity; for, mayhap, you may chance to miss it; then shall it not bleed of a surety. Taking this ridge for the vein—having, first of all, tied a bandage of broad tape, at a penny a yard, above the bend of the arm, here you see"-and then he bared his arm to shew. "You must hold down the vein with the thumb of your left hand, that it may not slip; then, in your right holding your lancet betwixt the thumb and finger, as I do, you will send down the point into the vein, making a moderate orifice by jerking it up thus ;" and thereupon he did penetrate the ridge of the leaf, whilst the boy was a looking on with exceeding curiousness.

"The reason you should first essay in a cabbage leaf is this," continued the chirurgeon: "That whereas, on a first trial or so, upon the arm of a living man, not having the necessary experience, you may chance to cut deep and draw no blood, whereat he may be in a monstrous passion; but though you draw no blood from the cabbage leaf upon cutting ever so, there shall be no falling out betwixt you and it: for truly is it said by Escu

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lapius, Dulce est pro patriâ mori;' the which doth

mean-things that have no voice can give no abuse.' Observe you how it be done, and then make trial yourself."

"I warrant you I can do it famously," cried Harry Daring, taking the lancet into his own hand, and digging into the cabbage leaf after the manner of his master.

"Villain! you have cut my finger!" bawled out Master Lather, dropping the leaf, and looking very dismal at his finger, which began a bleeding somewhat.

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O'my life, I knew not your hand was so nigh!” said the boy, with an exceeding demure face, though it be hugely suspected the young dog did it on purpose.

"A murrain on you, I doubt you will ever make a chirurgeon, you be so awkward," added his master, as he tied up his wound-which, luckily, was no great matter.

66 Nay, master, look if I be not marvellous skilful already!" exclaimed the apprentice, now holding the cabbage leaf himself, and digging at it in a very furious fashion.

"Not so fast!-not so fast, I pray you!" cried the old man. "Put you down the point a little inward, and make a sweep with it up. Let it not go in so deep. Nay, do it not as if you were digging a salad! Alack! that will never do! In

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truth, if you were serving a man's arm thus, he would cry out against you, and have reason for't: for is it not written in Galen, Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno;' which, done into English, is—' take heed you do no man any hurt, else marvel not he come to you for a plaister.' There, that is better-now put it down. Mayhap I will give you another lesson on the cabbage leaf tomorrow, for, indeed, you must in no way attempt to breathe a vein till you have thus learnt of me the way many times. Now, perchance you shall not have forgot that we had part of a calf's head for dinner?"

"No, i'faith, not I, master," replied the other, instantly, a smacking of his lips. "Seeing that I did pick the bones so superlatively clean, that puss hath looked daggers at me ever since."

"Well-get you into the kitchen and fetch me the jaw for I have need of it."

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Marry, what wants he with it, I wonder?" muttered the boy to himself, as he went quickly on his errand. "Methinks he hath quite jaw enough as it is. And hath he not a calf's head of his own, too? Well, some folks be never satisfied!" On his return he found Master Lather with an instrument in his hand for the extracting of teeth.

"Now will I give you a lesson on another branch of our honourable profession," said the barber-chirurgeon, taking the bone into his hand, and hand

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