A Doctor and His Patient

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A Doctor and His Patient

A death-bed flattery is the worst of treacheries.

L'Estrange version

Pray sir how d'ye find your self? says the Dr. to his patient. Why truly, says the patient; I have had a violent sweat. Oh the best sign in the world quoth the Dr. And then a little while after he is at it again, with a Pray how d'ye find your body? Alas, says the t'other, I have just now such a terrible fit of horror and shaking upon me! Why this is all as it should be, says the physician, it shews a mighty strength of nature. And then he comes over him a third time with the same question again; why I am all swell'd says t'other, as if I had a dropsy; Best of all quoth the doctor, and goes his way. Soon after this comes one of the sick man's friends to him with the same question, how he felt himselfe; why truly so well, says he, that I'm e'en ready to dye, of I know not how many good signs and tokens.

Moral

A death-bed flattery is the worst of treacheries.

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