Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/149

 RADCLIFFE. 131 on the plea of having no children to inherit the title. In 1697, after the king's return from Loo, having ratified the treaty of peace at Ryswick, his majesty fomid himself much indisposed at his palace at Kensington, and the advice of RadchfFe was had recourse to. The symptoms of the disease were dropsical, and though not treated very properly by the other physicians, nor considered by them as threatening any immediate danger, were looked upon by him as of a formidable nature. The interview which Radcliffe had with his majesty is described by Pittis in the following words. " The king, when the Doctor was admitted, was reading Sir Roger L'Estrange's new version of iEsop's Fables, and told him, that he had once more sent for him, to try the effects of his great skill, notwithstanding he had been told by his body-physicians, who were not sensible of his inward decay, that he might yet live many years, and would very speedily recover. Upon which the Doctor, having put some interrogatories to the king, very readily asked leave of his majesty to turn to a fable in the book before him, which would let the king know how he had been treated, and read it to him in these words : — ' Pray, Sir, how do you find yourself? says the doctor to his patient. Why truly, says the patient, I have had a most violent sweat. — Oh ! the best sign in the world, quoth the doctor. And then a little while after, he is at it again, with a pray how do you find your body ? Alas I says the other, I have just now such a terrible fit of horror and shaking upon me ! Why this is all as it should be, says the physician, it shews a mighty strength of K 2