Uponalltheseaccounts,Isay,Icouldwish,whenwewererecovered,ourconducthadbeenmoredistinguishedforcharityandkindnessinremembranceofthepastcalamity,andnotsomuchavaluingourselvesuponourboldnessinstaying,asifallmenwerecowardsthatflyfromthehandofGod,orthatthosewhostaydonotsometimesowetheircouragetotheirignorance,anddespisingthehandoftheirMaker—whichisacriminalkindofdesperation,andnotatruecourage。
Icannotbutleaveituponrecordthatthecivilofficers,suchasconstables,head—boroughs,LordMayor\'sandsheriffs\'—men,asalsoparishofficers,whosebusinessitwastotakechargeofthepoor,didtheirdutiesingeneralwithasmuchcourageasany,andperhapswithmore,becausetheirworkwasattendedwithmorehazards,andlaymoreamongthepoor,whoweremoresubjecttobeinfected,andinthemostpitifulplightwhentheyweretakenwiththeinfection。Butthenitmustbeadded,too,thatagreatnumberofthemdied;indeeditwasscarcepossibleitshouldbeotherwise。
Ihavenotsaidonewordhereaboutthephysicorpreparationsthatweordinarilymadeuseofonthisterribleoccasion—Imeanwethatwentfrequentlyabroadandupdownstreet,asIdid;muchofthiswastalkedofinthebooksandbillsofourquackdoctors,ofwhomIhavesaidenoughalready。Itmay,however,beadded,thattheCollegeofPhysiciansweredailypublishingseveralpreparations,whichtheyhadconsideredofintheprocessoftheirpractice,andwhich,beingtobehadinprint,Iavoidrepeatingthemforthatreason。
OnethingIcouldnothelpobserving:whatbefelloneofthequacks,whopublishedthathehadamostexcellentpreservativeagainsttheplague,whichwhoeverkeptaboutthemshouldneverbeinfectedorliabletoinfection。Thisman,who,wemayreasonablysuppose,didnotgoabroadwithoutsomeofthisexcellentpreservativeinhispocket,yetwastakenbythedistemper,andcarriedoffintwoorthreedays。
Iamnotofthenumberofthephysic—hatersorphysic—despisers;onthecontrary,IhaveoftenmentionedtheregardIhadtothedictatesofmyparticularfriendDrHeath;butyetImustacknowledgeImadeuseoflittleornothing—except,asIhaveobserved,tokeepapreparationofstrongscenttohaveready,incaseImetwithanythingofoffensivesmellsorwenttoonearanyburying—placeordeadbody。
NeitherdidIdowhatIknowsomedid:keepthespiritsalwayshighandhotwithcordialsandwineandsuchthings;andwhich,asI
observed,onelearnedphysicianusedhimselfsomuchtoasthathecouldnotleavethemoffwhentheinfectionwasquitegone,andsobecameasotforallhislifeafter。
Iremembermyfriendthedoctorusedtosaythattherewasacertainsetofdrugsandpreparationswhichwereallcertainlygoodandusefulinthecaseofaninfection;outofwhich,orwithwhich,physiciansmightmakeaninfinitevarietyofmedicines,astheringersofbellsmakeseveralhundreddifferentroundsofmusicbythechangingandorderorsoundbutinsixbells,andthatallthesepreparationsshallbereallyverygood:\'Therefore,\'saidhe,\'Idonotwonderthatsovastathrongofmedicinesisofferedinthepresentcalamity,andalmosteveryphysicianprescribesorpreparesadifferentthing,ashisjudgementorexperienceguideshim;but\',saysmyfriend,\'letalltheprescriptionsofallthephysiciansinLondonbeexamined,anditwillbefoundthattheyareallcompoundedofthesamethings,withsuchvariationsonlyastheparticularfancyofthedoctorleadshimto;sothat\',sayshe,\'everyman,judgingalittleofhisownconstitutionandmannerofhisliving,andcircumstancesofhisbeinginfected,maydirecthisownmedicinesoutoftheordinarydrugsandpreparations。
Onlythat\',sayshe,\'somerecommendonethingasmostsovereign,andsomeanother。Some\',sayshe,\'thinkthatpill。ruff。,whichiscalleditselftheanti—pestilentialpillisthebestpreparationthatcanbemade;othersthinkthatVenicetreacleissufficientofitselftoresistthecontagion;andI\',sayshe,\'thinkasboththesethink,viz。,thatthelastisgoodtotakebeforehandtopreventit,andthefirst,iftouched,toexpelit。\'Accordingtothisopinion,IseveraltimestookVenicetreacle,andasoundsweatuponit,andthoughtmyselfaswellfortifiedagainsttheinfectionasanyonecouldbefortifiedbythepowerofphysic。
Asforquackeryandmountebanks,ofwhichthetownwassofull,I
listenedtononeofthem,andhaveobservedoftensince,withsomewonder,thatfortwoyearsaftertheplagueIscarcelysaworheardofoneofthemabouttown。Somefanciedtheywereallsweptawayintheinfectiontoaman,andwereforcallingitaparticularmarkofGod\'svengeanceuponthemforleadingthepoorpeopleintothepitofdestruction,merelyforthelucreofalittlemoneytheygotbythem;
butIcannotgothatlengthneither。Thatabundanceofthemdiediscertain—manyofthemcamewithinthereachofmyownknowledge—
butthatallofthemweresweptoffImuchquestion。Ibelieverathertheyfledintothecountryandtriedtheirpracticesuponthepeoplethere,whowereinapprehensionoftheinfectionbeforeitcameamongthem。
This,however,iscertain,notamanofthemappearedforagreatwhileinoraboutLondon。Therewere,indeed,severaldoctorswhopublishedbillsrecommendingtheirseveralphysicalpreparationsforcleansingthebody,astheycallit,aftertheplague,andneedful,astheysaid,forsuchpeopletotakewhohadbeenvisitedandhadbeencured;whereasImustownIbelievethatitwastheopinionofthemosteminentphysiciansatthattimethattheplaguewasitselfasufficientpurge,andthatthosewhoescapedtheinfectionneedednophysictocleansetheirbodiesofanyotherthings;therunningsores,thetumours,&c。,whichwerebrokeandkeptopenbythedirectionsofthephysicians,havingsufficientlycleansedthem;andthatallotherdistempers,andcausesofdistempers,wereeffectuallycarriedoffthatway;andasthephysiciansgavethisastheiropinionswherevertheycame,thequacksgotlittlebusiness。
Therewere,indeed,severallittlehurrieswhichhappenedafterthedecreaseoftheplague,andwhich,whethertheywerecontrivedtofrightanddisorderthepeople,assomeimagined,Icannotsay,butsometimesweweretoldtheplaguewouldreturnbysuchatime;andthefamousSolomonEagle,thenakedQuakerIhavementioned,prophesiedeviltidingseveryday;andseveralotherstellingusthatLondonhadnotbeensufficientlyscourged,andthatsorerandsevererstrokeswereyetbehind。Hadtheystoppedthere,orhadtheydescendedtoparticulars,andtoldusthatthecityshouldthenextyearbedestroyedbyfire,then,indeed,whenwehadseenitcometopass,weshouldnothavebeentoblametohavepaidmorethanacommonrespecttotheirpropheticspirits;atleastweshouldhavewonderedatthem,andhavebeenmoreseriousinourinquiriesafterthemeaningofit,andwhencetheyhadtheforeknowledge。Butastheygenerallytoldusofarelapseintotheplague,wehavehadnoconcernsincethataboutthem;yetbythosefrequentclamours,wewereallkeptwithsomekindofapprehensionsconstantlyuponus;andifanydiedsuddenly,orifthespottedfeversatanytimeincreased,wewerepresentlyalarmed;muchmoreifthenumberoftheplagueincreased,fortotheendoftheyeartherewerealwaysbetween200and300oftheplague。Onanyoftheseoccasions,Isay,wewerealarmedanew。
ThosewhorememberthecityofLondonbeforethefiremustrememberthattherewasthennosuchplaceaswenowcallNewgateMarket,butthatinthemiddleofthestreetwhichisnowcalledBlow—
bladderStreet,andwhichhaditsnamefromthebutchers,whousedtokillanddresstheirsheepthere（andwho,itseems,hadacustomtoblowuptheirmeatwithpipestomakeitlookthickerandfatterthanitwas,andwerepunishedthereforitbytheLordMayor）;Isay,fromtheendofthestreettowardsNewgatetherestoodtwolongrowsofshamblesforthesellingmeat。
Itwasinthoseshamblesthattwopersonsfallingdowndead,astheywerebuyingmeat,gaverisetoarumourthatthemeatwasallinfected;which,thoughitmightaffrightthepeople,andspoiledthemarketfortwoorthreedays,yetitappearedplainlyafterwardsthattherewasnothingoftruthinthesuggestion。Butnobodycanaccountforthepossessionoffearwhenittakesholdofthemind。
However,itPleasedGod,bythecontinuingofthewinterweather,sotorestorethehealthofthecitythatbyFebruaryfollowingwereckonedthedistemperquiteceased,andthenwewerenotsoeasilyfrightedagain。
Therewasstillaquestionamongthelearned,andatfirstperplexedthepeoplealittle:andthatwasinwhatmannertopurgethehouseandgoodswheretheplaguehadbeen,andhowtorenderthemhabitableagain,whichhadbeenleftemptyduringthetimeoftheplague。
Abundance—ofperfumesandpreparationswereprescribedbyphysicians,someofonekindandsomeofanother,inwhichthepeoplewholistenedtothemputthemselvestoagreat,andindeed,inmyopinion,toanunnecessaryexpense;andthepoorerpeople,whoonlysetopentheirwindowsnightandday,burnedbrimstone,pitch,andgunpowder,andsuchthingsintheirrooms,didaswellasthebest;nay,theeagerpeoplewho,asIsaidabove,camehomeinhasteandatallhazards,foundlittleornoinconvenienceintheirhouses,norinthegoods,anddidlittleornothingtothem。
However,ingeneral,prudent,cautiouspeopledidenterintosomemeasuresforairingandsweeteningtheirhouses,andburnedperfumes,incense,benjamin,rozin,andsulphurintheirroomscloseshutup,andthenlettheaircarryitalloutwithablastofgunpowder;
otherscausedlargefirestobemadealldayandallnightforseveraldaysandnights;bythesametokenthattwoorthreewerepleasedtosettheirhousesonfire,andsoeffectuallysweetenedthembyburningthemdowntotheground;asparticularlyoneatRatcliff,oneinHolbourn,andoneatWestminster;besidestwoorthreethatweresetonfire,butthefirewashappilygotoutagainbeforeitwentfarenoughtobumdownthehouses;andonecitizen\'sservant,IthinkitwasinThamesStreet,carriedsomuchgunpowderintohismaster\'shouse,forclearingitoftheinfection,andmanageditsofoolishly,thatheblewuppartoftheroofofthehouse。Butthetimewasnotfullycomethatthecitywastohepurgedbyfire,norwasitfaroff;forwithinninemonthsmoreIsawitalllyinginashes;when,assomeofourquackingphilosopherspretend,theseedsoftheplaguewereentirelydestroyed,andnotbefore;anotiontooridiculoustospeakofhere:since,hadtheseedsoftheplagueremainedinthehouses,nottobedestroyedbutbyfire,howhasitbeenthattheyhavenotsincebrokenout,seeingallthosebuildingsinthesuburbsandliberties,allinthegreatparishesofStepney,Whitechappel,Aldgate,Bishopsgate,Shoreditch,Cripplegate,andStGiles,wherethefirenevercame,andwheretheplagueragedwiththegreatestviolence,remainstillinthesameconditiontheywereinbefore？
ButtoleavethesethingsjustasIfoundthem,itwascertainthatthosepeoplewhoweremorethanordinarilycautiousoftheirhealth,didtakeparticulardirectionsforwhattheycalledseasoningoftheirhouses,andabundanceofcostlythingswereconsumedonthataccountwhichIcannotbutsaynotonlyseasonedthosehouses,astheydesired,butfilledtheairwithverygratefulandwholesomesmellswhichothershadtheshareofthebenefitofaswellasthosewhowereattheexpensesofthem。
Andyetafterall,thoughthepoorcametotownveryprecipitantly,asIhavesaid,yetImustsaytherichmadenosuchhaste。Themenofbusiness,indeed,cameup,butmanyofthemdidnotbringtheirfamiliestotowntillthespringcameon,andthattheysawreasontodependuponitthattheplaguewouldnotreturn。
TheCourt,indeed,cameupsoonafterChristmas,butthenobilityandgentry,exceptsuchasdependeduponandhademploymentundertheadministration,didnotcomesosoon。
Ishouldhavetakennoticeherethat,notwithstandingtheviolenceoftheplagueinLondonandinotherplaces,yetitwasveryobservablethatitwasneveronboardthefleet;andyetforsometimetherewasastrangepressintheriver,andeveninthestreets,forseamentomanthefleet。Butitwasinthebeginningoftheyear,whentheplaguewasscarcebegun,andnotatallcomedowntothatpartofthecitywheretheyusuallypressforseamen;andthoughawarwiththeDutchwasnotatallgratefultothepeopleatthattime,andtheseamenwentwithakindofreluctancyintotheservice,andmanycomplainedofbeingdraggedintoitbyforce,yetitprovedintheeventahappyviolencetoseveralofthem,whohadprobablyperishedinthegeneralcalamity,andwho,afterthesummerservicewasover,thoughtheyhadcausetolamentthedesolationoftheirfamilies—who,whentheycameback,weremanyofthemintheirgraves—yettheyhadroomtobethankfulthattheywerecarriedoutofthereachofit,thoughsomuchagainsttheirwills。WeindeedhadahotwarwiththeDutchthatyear,andoneverygreatengagementatseainwhichtheDutchwereworsted,butwelostagreatmanymenandsomeships。But,asIobserved,theplaguewasnotinthefleet,andwhentheycametolayuptheshipsintherivertheviolentpartofitbegantoabate。
IwouldbegladifIcouldclosetheaccountofthismelancholyyearwithsomeparticularexampleshistorically;ImeanofthethankfulnesstoGod,ourpreserver,forourbeingdeliveredfromthisdreadfulcalamity。Certainlythecircumstanceofthedeliverance,aswellastheterribleenemyweweredeliveredfrom,calleduponthewholenationforit。Thecircumstancesofthedeliverancewereindeedveryremarkable,asIhaveinpartmentionedalready,andparticularlythedreadfulconditionwhichwewereallinwhenweweretothesurpriseofthewholetownmadejoyfulwiththehopeofastopoftheinfection。
NothingbuttheimmediatefingerofGod,nothingbutomnipotentpower,couldhavedoneit。Thecontagiondespisedallmedicine;
deathragedineverycorner;andhaditgoneonasitdidthen,afewweeksmorewouldhaveclearedthetownofall,andeverythingthathadasoul。Meneverywherebegantodespair;everyheartfailedthemforfear;peopleweremadedesperatethroughtheanguishoftheirsouls,andtheterrorsofdeathsatintheveryfacesandcountenancesofthepeople。
Inthatverymomentwhenwemightverywellsay,\'Vainwasthehelpofman\',—Isay,inthatverymomentitpleasedGod,withamostagreeablesurprise,tocausethefuryofittoabate,evenofitself;andthemalignitydeclining,asIhavesaid,thoughinfinitenumbersweresick,yetfewerdied,andtheveryfirstweeks\'billdecreased1843;avastnumberindeed！
ItisimpossibletoexpressthechangethatappearedintheverycountenancesofthepeoplethatThursdaymorningwhentheweeklybillcameout。Itmighthavebeenperceivedintheircountenancesthatasecretsurpriseandsmileofjoysatoneverybody\'sface。Theyshookoneanotherbythehandsinthestreets,whowouldhardlygoonthesamesideofthewaywithoneanotherbefore。Wherethestreetswerenottoobroadtheywouldopentheirwindowsandcallfromonehousetoanother,andaskhowtheydid,andiftheyhadheardthegoodnewsthattheplaguewasabated。Somewouldreturn,whentheysaidgoodnews,andask,\'Whatgoodnews？\'andwhentheyansweredthattheplaguewasabatedandthebillsdecreasedalmosttwothousand,theywouldcryout,\'GodbepraisedI\'andwouldweepaloudforjoy,tellingthemtheyhadheardnothingofit;andsuchwasthejoyofthepeoplethatitwas,asitwere,lifetothemfromthegrave。Icouldalmostsetdownasmanyextravagantthingsdoneintheexcessoftheirjoyasoftheirgrief;butthatwouldbetolessenthevalueofit。
Imustconfessmyselftohavebeenverymuchdejectedjustbeforethishappened;fortheprodigiousnumberthatweretakensicktheweekortwobefore,besidesthosethatdied,wassuch,andthelamentationsweresogreateverywhere,thatamanmusthaveseemedtohaveactedevenagainsthisreasonifhehadsomuchasexpectedtoescape;andastherewashardlyahousebutmineinallmyneighbourhoodbutwasinfected,sohaditgoneonitwouldnothavebeenlongthattherewouldhavebeenanymoreneighbourstobeinfected。Indeeditishardlycrediblewhatdreadfulhavocthelastthreeweekshadmade,forifImightbelievethepersonwhosecalculationsIalwaysfoundverywellgrounded,therewerenotlessthan30,000peopledeadandnear100。000fallensickinthethreeweeksIspeakof;forthenumberthatsickenedwassurprising,indeeditwasastonishing,andthosewhosecourageupheldthemallthetimebefore,sankunderitnow。
Inthemiddleoftheirdistress,whentheconditionofthecityofLondonwassotrulycalamitous,justthenitpleasedGod—asitwerebyHisimmediatehandtodisarmthisenemy;thepoisonwastakenoutofthesting。Itwaswonderful;eventhephysiciansthemselvesweresurprisedatit。Wherevertheyvisitedtheyfoundtheirpatientsbetter;eithertheyhadsweatedkindly,orthetumourswerebroke,orthecarbuncleswentdownandtheinflammationsroundthemchangedcolour,orthefeverwasgone,ortheviolentheadachewasassuaged,orsomegoodsymptomwasinthecase;sothatinafewdayseverybodywasrecovering,wholefamiliesthatwereinfectedanddown,thathadministersprayingwiththem,andexpecteddeatheveryhour,wererevivedandhealed,andnonediedatalloutofthem。
Norwasthisbyanynewmedicinefoundout,ornewmethodofcurediscovered,orbyanyexperienceintheoperationwhichthephysiciansorsurgeonsattainedto;butitwasevidentlyfromthesecretinvisiblehandofHimthathadatfirstsentthisdiseaseasajudgementuponus;andlettheatheisticpartofmankindcallmysayingwhattheyplease,itisnoenthusiasm;itwasacknowledgedatthattimebyallmankind。Thediseasewasenervatedanditsmalignityspent;andletitproceedfromwhencesoeveritwill,letthephilosopherssearchforreasonsinnaturetoaccountforitby,andlabourasmuchastheywilltolessenthedebttheyowetotheirMaker,thosephysicianswhohadtheleastshareofreligioninthemwereobligedtoacknowledgethatitwasallsupernatural,thatitwasextraordinary,andthatnoaccountcouldbegivenofit。
IfIshouldsaythatthisisavisiblesummonstousalltothankfulness,especiallywethatwereundertheterrorofitsincrease,perhapsitmaybethoughtbysome,afterthesenseofthethingwasover,anofficiouscantingofreligiousthings,preachingasermoninsteadofwritingahistory,makingmyselfateacherinsteadofgivingmyobservationsofthings;andthisrestrainsmeverymuchfromgoingonhereasImightotherwisedo。ButiftenlepersWerehealed,andbutonereturnedtogivethanks,Idesiretobeasthatone,andtobethankfulformyself。
NorwillIdenybuttherewereabundanceofpeoplewho,toallappearance,wereverythankfulatthattime;fortheirmouthswerestopped,eventhemouthsofthosewhoseheartswerenotextraordinarylongaffectedwithit。
Buttheimpressionwassostrongatthattimethatitcouldnotberesisted;
no,notbytheworstofthepeople。
Itwasacommonthingtomeetpeopleinthestreetthatwerestrangers,andthatweknewnothingatallof,expressingtheirsurprise。
GoingonedaythroughAldgate,andaprettymanypeoplebeingpassingandrepassing,therecomesamanoutoftheendoftheMinories,andlookingalittleupthestreetanddown,hethrowshishandsabroad,\'Lord,whatanalterationishereIWhy,lastweekI
camealonghere,andhardlyanybodywastoheseen。\'Anotherman—I
heardhim—addstohiswords,\"Tisallwonderful;\'tisalladream。\'
\'BlessedbeGod,\'saysathirdman,dandletusgivethankstoHim,for\'tisallHisowndoing,humanhelpandhumanskillwasatanend。\'
Thesewereallstrangerstooneanother。Butsuchsalutationsasthesewerefrequentinthestreeteveryday;andinspiteofaloosebehaviour,theverycommonpeoplewentalongthestreetsgivingGodthanksfortheirdeliverance。
Itwasnow,asIsaidbefore,thepeoplehadcastoffallapprehensions,andthattoofast;indeedwewerenomoreafraidnowtopassbyamanwithawhitecapuponhishead,orwithadothwraptroundhisneck,orwithhisleglimping,occasionedbythesoresinhisgroin,allwhichwerefrightfultothelastdegree,buttheweekbefore。
Butnowthestreetwasfullofthem,andthesepoorrecoveringcreatures,givethemtheirdue,appearedverysensibleoftheirunexpecteddeliverance;andIshouldwrongthemverymuchifI
shouldnotacknowledgethatIbelievemanyofthemwerereallythankful。ButImustownthat,forthegeneralityofthepeople,itmighttoojustlybesaidofthemaswassaidofthechildrenofIsraelaftertheirbeingdeliveredfromthehostofPharaoh,whentheypassedtheRedSea,andlookedbackandsawtheEgyptiansoverwhelmedinthewater:viz。,thattheysangHispraise,buttheysoonforgotHisworks。
Icangonofartherhere。Ishouldbecountedcensorious,andperhapsunjust,ifIshouldenterintotheunpleasingworkofreflecting,whatevercausetherewasforit,upontheunthankfulnessandreturnofallmannerofwickednessamongus,whichIwassomuchaneye—
witnessofmyself。Ishallconcludetheaccountofthiscalamitousyearthereforewithacoarsebutsincerestanzaofmyown,whichI
placedattheendofmyordinarymemorandumsthesameyeartheywerewritten:—
AdreadfulplagueinLondonwasIntheyearsixty—five,WhichsweptanhundredthousandsoulsAway;yetIalive！
H。F。
