Andperhapshavetakenitunblushinglyeversince\"therainySunday，\"and\"thestatelyPantheon，\"and\"thebeatificdruggist\"of1804？Evenso。AndhowdoIfindmyhealthafterallthisopium-
eating？Inshort，howdoIdo？Why，prettywell，Ithankyou，reader;inthephraseofladiesinthestraw，\"aswellascanbeexpected。\"Infact，ifIdaredtosaytherealandsimpletruth，though，tosatisfythetheoriesofmedicalmen，IOUGHTtobeill，I
neverwasbetterinmylifethaninthespringof1812;andIhopesincerelythatthequantityofclaret，port，or\"particularMadeira，\"whichinallprobabilityyou，goodreader，havetaken，anddesigntotakeforeverytermofeightyearsduringyournaturallife，mayaslittledisorderyourhealthasminewasdisorderedbytheopiumIhadtakenforeightyears，between1804and1812。HenceyoumayseeagainthedangeroftakinganymedicaladvicefromAnastasius;indivinity，foraughtIknow，orlaw，hemaybeasafecounsellor;butnotinmedicine。No;itisfarbettertoconsultDr。Buchan，asIdid;forIneverforgotthatworthyman’sexcellentsuggestion，andIwas\"particularlycarefulnottotakeabovefive-
and-twentyouncesoflaudanum。\"TothismoderationandtemperateuseofthearticleImayascribeit，Isuppose，thatasyet，atleast（i。e。in1812），Iamignorantandunsuspiciousoftheavengingterrorswhichopiumhasinstoreforthosewhoabuseitslenity。Atthesametime，itmustnotbeforgottenthathithertoIhavebeenonlyadilettanteeaterofopium;eightyears’practiceeven，withasingleprecautionofallowingsufficientintervalsbetweeneveryindulgence，hasnotbeensufficienttomakeopiumnecessarytomeasanarticleofdailydiet。Butnowcomesadifferentera。Moveon，ifyouplease，reader，to1813。InthesummeroftheyearwehavejustquittedIhavesufferedmuchinbodilyhealthfromdistressofmindconnectedwithaverymelancholyevent。Thiseventbeingnowaysrelatedtothesubjectnowbeforeme，furtherthanthroughthebodilyillnesswhichitproduced，Ineednotmoreparticularlynotice。Whetherthisillnessof1812hadanyshareinthatof1813
Iknownot;butsoitwas，thatinthelatteryearIwasattackedbyamostappallingirritationofthestomach，inallrespectsthesameasthatwhichhadcausedmesomuchsufferinginyouth，andaccompaniedbyarevivalofalltheolddreams。Thisisthepointofmynarrativeonwhich，asrespectsmyownself-justification，thewholeofwhatfollowsmaybesaidtohinge。AndhereIfindmyselfinaperplexingdilemma。Either，ontheonehand，Imustexhaustthereader’spatiencebysuchadetailofmymalady，orofmystruggleswithit，asmightsufficetoestablishthefactofmyinabilitytowrestleanylongerwithirritationandconstantsuffering;or，ontheotherhand，bypassinglightlyoverthiscriticalpartofmystory，Imustforegothebenefitofastrongerimpressionleftonthemindofthereader，andmustlaymyselfopentothemisconstructionofhavingslipped，bytheeasyandgradualstepsofself-indulgingpersons，fromthefirsttothefinalstageofopium-eating（amisconstructiontowhichtherewillbealurkingpredispositioninmostreaders，frommypreviousacknowledgements）。