Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places . haracter of Dr. Monsey, in point of naturalhumour, is thought to have borne a near resem- 72 OLD AND NEW LONDON. [Chelsea. blance to that of Dean Swift, and like him, he toowill be long remembered for the vivid powers of hismind and the marked peculiarity of his manners. His classical abilities were indeed enviable, hismemory throughout life was wonderfully retentive,and upon a variety of occasions enabled him, withan inexhaustible flow of words, to pour forth thetreasures of erudition acquired by reading, study,and
Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places . haracter of Dr. Monsey, in point of naturalhumour, is thought to have borne a near resem- 72 OLD AND NEW LONDON. [Chelsea. blance to that of Dean Swift, and like him, he toowill be long remembered for the vivid powers of hismind and the marked peculiarity of his manners. His classical abilities were indeed enviable, hismemory throughout life was wonderfully retentive,and upon a variety of occasions enabled him, withan inexhaustible flow of words, to pour forth thetreasures of erudition acquired by reading, study,and experience; insomuch that he was truly allowed tration, the reversion of his place had been suc-cessively promised to several medical friends of thePaymaster-General of the Forces. Looking out ofhis window one day, and observing a gentlemanbelow examining the college and gardens, who heknew had secured the reversion of his place, thedoctor came down stairs, and going out to him,accosted him thus :— Well, sir, I see you areexamining your house and gardens, that arc fj be,. THE CHELSEA BUN-HOUSE, 1810. {Froiii Mr. Craces Collection. to be a storehouse of anecdote, a reservoir ofcurious narrative for all weathers; the livingchronicle, in short, of other times. The exuber-ance of his wit, which, like the web of life, was ofa mingled yarn, often rendered his conversationexceedingly entertaining, sometimes indeed alarm-ingly offensive, and at other times pointedlypathetic and instructive; for, at certain happyintervals, the doctor could lay aside Rabelais andScanon to think deeply on the most importantsubjects, and to open a very serious vein. Thefollowing anecdote, told in Faulkners History ofChelsea, is very characteristic of the doctors turnof temper, and is said to be well attested :— Helived so long in his ofiice of Physician to ChelseaHospital, that, during many changes of adminis- and I will assure you that they are both verypleasant and very convenient. But I must tell yo
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