In
short, by this professional pride, the physician's practice rapidly
increased, and in a few years he acquired a large fortune. And thus in
each case Solomon's advice proved successful.[75]
[74] At the "mill" the man who was plagued with a bad wife
doubtless saw some labourers threshing corn, since
_grinding_ corn would hardly suggest the idea of
_beating_ his provoking spouse.--By the way, this man
had evidently never heard the barbarous sentiment,
expressed in the equally barbarous English popular
rhyme--composed, probably, by some beer-sodden
bacon-chewer, and therefore, in those ancient times,
_non inventus_--
A woman, a dog, and a walnut tree,
The more you beat 'em, the better they be--
else, what need for him to consult King Solomon about
his paltry domestic troubles?
[75] A variant of this occurs in the _Decameron_ of
Boccaccio, Day ix, Nov. 9, of which Dunlop gives the
following outline: Two young men repair to Jerusalem to
consult Solomon. One asks how he may be well liked, the
other how he may best manage a froward wife. Solomon
advised the first to "love others," and the second to
"repair to the mill.
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