London at the End of the Century:A Book of Gossip
a Beckett, Arthur William
1900
TWO CITIES IN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS.
I AM told (and I have every reason for believing that the assertion is true) that a large number of Londoners never take a holiday. Professional men have their which mercifully forces them to desist from their labour. For instance, the barrister, unless he makes himself a slave to vacation work, gets away in the middle of August, and is not wanted back in the Royal Palace in the Strand until the end of October. Then the doctor, prescribing for himself, takes a clear two months in the dead season of the year. But the journalist (especially if he be an editor), like the late Lord 's Brook, A friend of mine, who some years ago had been following the for any number of years, had a very unpleasant reminder that One day he met that eminent | |
304 | physician, Dr. Farren Farce, in a railway carriage. he other occupants of the compartment were a married couple-a man who seemed to be a confirmed invalid, and his devoted wife. The husband was feeble to the last degree, with lack-lustre eyes, and the gait of a nonogenarian who has borne his years badly. At the station the poor fellow was helped out of the train by his sorrowful and sympathetic helpmate, and struggled away towards the exit gate, with the assistance of the ticket collector and a couple of porters. |
said Dr. Farren Farce to my friend, | |
And the eminent physician was a true prophet. My friend did not act upon the medico's advice, and became absolutely incapacitated for the lightest work for no less than two years. He found himself without memory, without energy, without everything. He was a perfect wreck, and it took twenty-four calendar months to bring him back to his customary condition. So when Dr. Farren Farce takes me by the arm, and, calling me tells me to I invariably do my best to obey his commands. And it really is wonderful how little time you need to follow the prescription. As I am nothing | |
305 | if not practical, I will do my best to show in how short a space the thing can be done. I will suppose myself a London journalist at the end of the nineteenth century, who cannot possibly get away from town for more than three week-days. I may do what I please with Sunday and Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday are entirely at my service; but I have to be at the office on Thursday. How am I to get the complete rest the Dr. Farren Farce has ordered for his in the first four days of the week ? We will see. |
