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��inferior, or treated him like a dependent x. He breakfasted with the doctor every morning, and perhaps was seen no more by him till mid-night. Much of the day was employed in attend ance on his patients, who were chiefly of the lowest rank of tradesmen. The remainder of his hours he dedicated to Hunter's lectures 2, and to as many different opportunities of improve ment, as he could meet with on the same gratuitous conditions. "All his medical knowledge," said Johnson, "and it is not in considerable 3, was obtained through the ear. Though he buys books, he seldom looks into them, or discovers any power by which he can be supposed to judge of an author's merit."

' Before he became a constant inmate of the Doctor's house, he married, when he was near sixty, a woman of the town, who had persuaded him (notwithstanding their place of congress was a small-coal shed in Fetter-lane) that she was nearly related to a man of fortune, but was injuriously kept by him out of large possessions. It is almost needless to add, that both parties were disappointed in their views. If Levett took her for an heiress, who in time might be rich, she regarded him as a physician already in considerable practice. Compared with the marvels of this transaction, as Johnson himself declared when relating them, the tales in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments seem familiar occurrences. Never was infant more completely duped than our hero. He had not been married four months, before a writ was taken out against him, for debts incurred by his wife. He was secreted, and his friend then procured him a protection from a foreign minister 4. In a short time after-

1 ' Dr. Johnson has frequently ob- 4 'May 13, 1771. A cause was served, that Levett was indebted to determined in the King's Bench, in him for nothing more than house- favour of a Merchant who had de- room, his share in a penny loaf at mands on a person protected by a breakfast, and now and then a dinner foreign Ambassador, that person not on a Sunday.' Note by Hawkins. being a real servant brought over

2 Both William Hunter and his with the Ambassador, but having brother John lectured. For William since procured his protection. Of Hunter, see Letters, ii. 339. all the causes determined in law

3 ' He had acted for many years in within these twenty years perhaps the capacity of surgeon and apothe- no one is of more importance than cary to Johnson, under the direction the present.' Gentleman 's Magazine, of Dr. Lawrence.' Note by Hawkins. 1771, p. 235.

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