“Soon after my marriage I acquired a practice in Paddington. Old Mr. Farquhar, from whom I bought it, was at one time a successful physician, but age and an illness similar to St. Vitus's dance led to the decline of his practice. People, and this is quite natural, adhere to the principle “doctor, heal yourself” and do not rely on the healing power of a person if his own medicines do not help him. And as my predecessor's strength weakened, the number of his patients continually declined, and when I bought his practice, instead of the previous thousand two hundred pounds a year, it brought in less than three hundred. However, I relied on my youth and energy, firmly hoping that in a year or two it would become prosperous again...”