338 BRITISH PHYSICIANS. the same prospect in a state of mental and bodily comfort. Generally my illnesses have been suf- fering, and death has looked a welcome visitor. Now, on the contrary, I felt well, at least I had no pain. Every object around me and before me looked pleasant, and I felt unwilling to quit them ; but it was not dying, but parting with those dear to me, which caused the pang. It was just what I have felt when death has removed from me those I loved, and just what I should have felt in the prospect of my wife and all my children being taken from me by death. The hyemorrhage soon ceased, and I believe was of no consequence ; but the anxiety I felt about it, and the low diet which I observed for a fortnight, ended in one of my old vomiting illnesses, which lasted three weeks, and has now left me as thin as the anatomic vivante.'* Notwithstanding these repeated illnesses, which withdrew him for months together from his pro- fession, Gooch's reputation continued to increase ; and as soon as he was able to resume his practice, he always found that he had more patients on his list than he could visit. In April 1826 he was appointed librarian to the King — a situation which added much to his comfort, by insuring him a moderate annuity for life, in case (which then appeared too probable) ill health should oblige him to relinquish his profession entirely. For this he was indebted to the kindness of his friend, Sir William Knighton. The summer of this year Gooch passed chiefly at Malvern ; he had intended to visit the Cumberland Lakes again, but found his strength unequal to the journey. The air of Malvern agreed with him, and he returned to town
