Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/339

 GOOCH. 317 anatomy and surgery in London. He therefore became a pupil of Mr. Astley Cooper's, and dis- sected diligently in the Borough. Early in the following year he formed a partnership with Mr. James of Croydon, a general practitioner of emi- nence in that neighbourhood. Here Gooch im- mediately entered upon the active duties of his profession ; he had great opportunities of acquir- ing practical knowledge, and soon became a favourite in the families which he attended. Many of the individuals to whom he first became known as a country surgeon were afterwards useful to him in London. It was at the commencement of the year 1808 that Gooch first appeared in the character of a critic. Several of his friends agreed to establish a new medical journal, and he became one of the principal contributors to the London Medical Re- view — which existed for about five years, and contained many articles of very considerable merit. The great error of all young reviewers is the abuse of assumed power ; it is gratifying to self-esteem to point out defects, and the youthful critic is more anxious to discover faults^ than excellencies. Gooch used often at a later period of his life to regret the severity in which he had indulged in some of his early essays in this department. His first article was on the subject of insanity ; the book reviewed a transla- tion of Pinel. By a singular coincidence the first and the last of his literary labours were on the same subject. There is a paragraph in this review which is so applicable to Gooch's own peculiar conformation of mind that he must have had an