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sex. She was all his heart could wish. His soul adored her. In her his every earthly hope was centered. And thus years of bliss rolled on, till the defendant basely drew her into his accursed meshes, compassing the destruction of an amiable woman—crushing the spirit of an honourable man—and blasting his happiness for ever. Gentlemen, up to this period the plaintiff had not the most distant idea of his wife's infidelity. He believed her to be faithful—he believed her to be virtuous—he believed her to be pure—and I cherish a strong conviction that he was justified in believing her to be faithful, and virtuous, and pure; nor was it until he absolutely saw, to his astonishment and horror, the defendant leave the house at night, after having been seen in her chamber, that he entertained the slightest suspicion of his having been for ever dishonoured and disgraced. Gentlemen, I shall bring before you evidence of the most incontrovertible character to prove that the defendant was actually seen to come from Lady Julian's chamber, while the lady herself was in bed. I shall moreover prove to you, beyond all doubt, that the butler in the service of the plaintiff absolutely let the defendant out of the house! And what is the defendant? He is a medical man. He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Now, if there be one man more than another in whose honour and integrity we feel ourselves justified in confiding, that man is a medical adviser. At all times, in all seasons, and under all conceivable circumstances, a medical adviser has free and unfettered access to our homes. Relying upon his honour, we place our wives and daughters freely under his care, and, although the defendant was not the medical adviser of Lady Julian—although it cannot be said that he violated any confidence directly reposed in him by the plaintiff—if once the case of a medical man, guilty of so infamous a practice as that of which the defendant has been guilty, be suffered to pass without being strongly marked, farewell confidence, farewell security, farewell virtue, farewell peace. Gentlemen, the fact of the defendant being a medical man greatly aggravates his infamy, for, up to this time, it has been scarcely conceivable that so base, so heartless a reptile could be found connected with that ancient and honourable profession. We have hitherto looked for friends there, not for vipers: we have looked for integrity, not for abomination. I admit this unhappy lady's fall. I admit her utter worthlessness, but, not being skilled in that atrocious, that execrable species of necromancy, of which the defendant is so perfect a master, I cannot pretend to tell you by what witchcraft—by what hellcraft—he succeeded in destroying the soul of such a woman, by prompting her thus to disgrace and dishonour so fond, so affectionate, so doting a husband. And now, having thus briefly drawn the faint outline of this most abominable case, I have to direct your attention, gentlemen, to the only question open for your consideration—for the pleas of the defendant are not worth a rush—namely, what damages you ought to give the plaintiff.