With two strokes, the one at _Hippocrates_, the other at Lord _Verulam_, did my father achieve it.
The stroke at the prince of physicians, with which he began, was no more than a short insult upon his sorrowful complaint of the _Ars longa_, --and _Vita brevis_. ----Life short, cried my father, --and the art of healing tedious! And who are we to thank for both the one and the other, but the ignorance of quacks themselves, --and the stage-loads of chymical nostrums, and peripatetic lumber, with which, in all ages, they have first flatter'd the world, and at last deceived it?
----O my lord _Verulam!_ cried my father, turning from _Hippocrates_, and making his second stroke at him, as the principal of nostrum-mongers, and the fittest to be made an example of to the rest, ----What shall I say to thee, my great lord _Verulam?_ What shall I say to thy internal spirit, --thy opium, --thy salt-petre, ----thy greasy unctions, --thy daily purges, --thy nightly clysters, and succedaneums?
----My father was never at a loss what to say to any man, upon any subject; and had the least occasion for the exordium of any man breathing: how he dealt with his lordship's opinion, ----you shall see; ----but when --I know not; ----we must first see what his lordship's opinion was.
With two strokes, the one at Hippocrates, the other at Lord Verulam, my father achieved it.
The stroke at Hippocrates the physician, with which he began, was no more than a short insult upon his sorrowful complaint of Ars longa and Vita brevis.
'Life is short,' cried my father, 'and the art of healing tedious! And who are we to thank for both, but the ignorance of quacks themselves, and the coach-loads of chemical cure-alls, with which they have deceived the world?
'O my lord Verulam!' cried my father, turning from Hippocrates, and making his second stroke at the principal peddler of cure-alls. 'What shall I say to thee, my great lord Verulam? What shall I say to thy opium, thy salt-petre, thy greasy unctions, thy daily purges and nightly enemas, and bogus medicines?'
My father was never at a loss what to say to any man, upon any subject; and had the least excuse for this beginning of any man breathing. How he dealt with lord Verulam's opinion, you shall see - but when, I know not - we must first see what his lordship's opinion was.
Book 5 - Chapter 34