a that the
speaker was an uncommon personage. I gave Timothy a nudge, and then
replied,

"You have guessed right, most learned sir; we are, as you say, wanderers
seeking our fortunes, and trust yet to find them--still we have a weary
journey before us, '_Haustus hora somni sumendum_,' as Aristotle hath
it; which I need not translate to so learned a person as yourself."

"Nay, indeed, there is no occasion; yet am I pleased to meet with one
who hath scholarship," replied the other. "Have you also a knowledge of
the Greek?"

"No, I pretend not to Greek."

"It is a pity that thou hast it not, for thou wouldst delight to
commune with the ancients. Esculapius hath these
words--'A_shol_der--offmotton--_acca_pon--pasti--venison,'--which I will
translate for thee--'We often find what we seek, when we least expect
it.' May it be so with you, my friend. Where have you been educated? and
what has been your profession?"

I thought I risked little in telling, so I replied, that I had been
brought up as a surgeon and apothecary, and had been educated at a
foundation school.

"'Tis well," replied he; "you have then commenced your studies in my
glorious profession; still, have you much to learn; years of toil, under
a great master, can only enable you to benefit mankind as I have done,
and years of hardship and of danger must be added thereunto, to afford
you the means. There are many hidden secrets. '_Ut sunt Divorum, Mars,
Bacchus, Apollo, Virorum_,'--many parts of the globe to traverse, '_Ut
Cato, Virgilius, fluviorum, ut Tibris, Orontes._' All these have I
visited, and many more. Even now do I journey to obtain more of my
invaluable medicine, gathered on the highest Andes, when the moon is in
her perigee. There I shall remain for months among the clouds, looking
down upon the great plain of Mexico, which shall appear no larger than
the head of a pin, where the voice of man is heard not. '_Vocito,
vocitas vocitavi_,' bending for months towards the earth. '_As in
presenti_,' suffering with the cold--'_frico quod fricui dat_,' as
Eusebius hath it. Soon shall I be borne away by the howling winds
towards the new world, where I can obtain more of the wonderful
medicine, which I may say never yet hath failed me, and which nothing
but love towards my race induces me to gather at such pains and risk."

"Indeed, sir," replied I, amused with his imposition, "I should like to
accompany you--for, as Josephus says most truly, '_Capiat pi