Still, Dr Dickson never lost his office, which has now
descended to his son; an extraordinary instance of permanent favour
under so arbitrary a government. Dr Dickson had married a Scottish
lady, and being now settled in every way, his life, so far as we know,
affords no farther incidents necessary to record. It was a career,
however, of continued usefulness and benevolence, and, surrounded by a
promising family, who revered their father, we believe he enjoyed as
much happiness as usually falls to the lot of humanity.
One only drawback there was to the favour in which he stood with the
pacha: the doctor was obliged, when attending the high ladies of the
court, to drink in their presence one-half of every drug he
prescribed--a custom it might not be amiss to introduce into England,
although not with the view, as in Tripoli, of guarding against poison!
Dr Dickson also acted as consul for Portugal, although for many years
he received no salary: at last, on paying a flying visit to London,
two years before his death, he was recommended to go home by Lisbon to
seek redress.
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