"I filled it with a mixture of citron-peel, angelica seed, zedoary, yellow saunders, aloes, benzoin, camphor, and gum-tragacanth, moistened with spirit of roses; and after placing it on the chafing-dish to heat it, hung it by a string round my neck, next my dried toad.

I suppose, by some means or other, it dropped through my doublet, and found its way to my side.

I felt a dreadful burning there, and that made me fancy I was attacked by the plague." "A very satisfactory solution of the mystery," replied the doctor, laughing; "and you may think yourself well off with the blister which your box has raised.

It will be easier to bear than the cataplasm I should have given you, had your apprehensions been well founded.

As yet, you are free from infection, young man; but if you persist in this silly and pernicious practice of quacking yourself, you will infallibly bring on some fatal disorder--perhaps the plague itself.