Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/142

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124 BRITISH PHYSICIANS. mour, and of the footing upon which he lived with his neighbours and friends, and of the free and familiar terms in which they mutually indulged. " It will not be much out of the way to insert a diverting passage, between Sir Godfrey Kneller, the king's chief face-painter, and the doctor, since it happened near this time ; and, though not alto- gether so advantageous to the doctor's memory as the generality of his sarcastic replies, yet will be of use to bring in a very happy turn of wit from him that speaks in rejoinder to it. The doctor's dwelling-house, as has been said before, was in Bow-street, Covent Garden, whereunto belonged a very convenient garden, that was contiguous to another on the back of it, appertaining to Sir God- frey, which was extremely curious and inviting, from the many exotic plants, and the variety of flowers and greens, which it abounded with. Now as one wall divided both inclosures, and the doctor had some reason, from his intimacy with the knight, to think he would not give a denial to any reasonable request, so he took the freedom, when he was one day in company with the latter, after extolling his fine parterres and choice collection of herbs, flowers, &c., to desire the liberty of having a door made, for a free intercourse with both gar- dens, but in such a manner as should not be incon- venient to either family. " Sir Godfrey, who was, and is a gentleman of extraordinary courtesy and humanity, very readily gave his consent ; but the doctor's servants, in- stead of being strict observers of the terms of agreement, made such a havoc amongst his hor- tulanary curiosities, that Sir Godfrey was out of