The death of Captain Blifil

“And glad should we be could we inform the reader that both these bodies had been attended with equal success; for those who undertook the care of the lady [Mrs Blifil] succeeded so well that after the fit had continued a decent time she again revived, to their great satisfaction; but as to the captain, all experiments of bleeding, chafing, dropping, etc, proved ineffectual. Death, that inexorable judge, had passed sentence on him and refused to grant him a reprieve, though two doctors who arrived and were fee'd at one and the same instant, were his counsel.

“These two doctors, whom to avoid any malicious applications we shall distinguish by the names of Dr Y and …