" On the whole, I
think he derived much benefit from Ashburton; for besides his
scholastic improvement he became an adept at the usual games, and a
social favourite out of school hours.
At the age of sixteen he left the grammar-school, and I find the
30th of May, 1850, to be the date of his articles to me as surgeon.
I had at that time taken a partner, Henry Manly, Esquire, now
resident at Ipplepen, with a view of introducing and resigning to
him my Ipplepen practice. Being in a country place, five miles from
Totnes, where there was no chemist or dispensary, my son readily
acquired his duties, which were to distribute the medicines and
appliances directed for our patients by my partner and myself. In
all cases his caution was extreme and we had no fear of his making
mistakes. The ordinary operations of extracting a tooth or
breathing a vein when a bumpkin presented himself as a patient, he
speedily mastered. The absurd practice of going to be bled on any
occasion that might strike the fancy of the party, without the
advice of the doctor, was not at that time so completely obsolete
as in this advanced age I hope it is, and ought to be.
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