Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

T Hood

Subjects:

Narcotics, Death, Dissection, Crime, Medical Practitioners, Narcotics, Political Economy

Publications cited:

Burton 1621

    Unlucky in love and fortune, Peter Bunce feigns toothache, and 'From twenty divers druggists' shops / He begg'd enough of laudanum by drops / T' effect the fatal purpose that he had'. He is buried a pauper, thus presenting a good opportunity for body-snatchers: 'Down came a fellow with a sack and spade, / Accustom'd many years to drive a trade / With that Anatomy more Melancholy / Than Burton's!'. (123) On opening the coffin, the body-snatcher (Mike Mahoney) finds that the laudanum has only put Bunce into a trance, from which he wakes. Bunce discusses Mahoney's trade with him, and is astonished to learn that a body is worth ten pounds. He promptly kills Mahoney, and sells his body to Dr Oddy. He then kills Dr Oddy, and sells his body to Dr Case, before killing Dr Case and selling his body to another doctor, whom he then dispatches. 'Bunce plotted—such high flights ambition takes,—/ to treat the Faculty like ducks and drakes, / And sell them all ere they could utter "Quack!"' (129). Thus trading on into the morning, Bunce looks to sell his last corpse. However, he is directed to a doctor at law ('a doctor's reckon'd / A rare Top-Sawyer, let who will come second'), who on being offered a corpse, declares 'Death! Devil! d—n! / Confound the vagabond, he thinks I am / A rhubarb-and-magnesia Doctor!' (130). Bunce flees and lives 'securely till fourscore / From never troubling Doctors any more!' (131). The illustration captioned 'A Pauper in High Relief' (facing 128) depicts a statue of a very portly man with a placard around his neck and with his hat in a begging pose; the plinth reads 'Old Poor Law'. The illustration captioned 'Appropriation Clause' (131) depicts a man dropping his cutlery in fright as two cats leap up at the table, carrying off his dinner (a turtle) in their claws.