Such of the practice of Dunchester as was worth having soon fell into his hands, and few indeed were the guineas that slipped out of his fingers into the pocket of a poorer brother.

Also, he had a large consulting connection in the county.

But if his earnings were great so were his spendings, for it was part of his system to accept civic and magisterial offices and to entertain largely in his official capacities.

This meant that the money went out as fast as it came in, and that, however much was earned, more was always needed.
When I visited Dunchester to make inquiries I made a point of calling on Sir John, who received me in his best "heavy-father" manner, taking care to inform me that he was keeping Lord So-and-so waiting in his consulting-room in order to give me audience.

Going straight to the point, I told him that I thought of starting to practise in Dunchester, which information, I could see, pleased him little.
"Of course, my dear boy," he said, "you being your father's son I should be delighted, and would do everything in my power to help you, but at the same time I must point out that were Galen, or Jenner, or Harvey to reappear on earth, I doubt if they could make a decent living in Dunchester." "All the same, I mean to have a try, Sir John," I answered cheerfully.
"I suppose you do not want an assistant, do you ?" "Let me see; I think you said you were married, did you not ?" "Yes," I answered, well knowing that Sir John, having disposed of his elder daughter to an incompetent person of our profession, who had become the plague of his life, was desirous of putting the second to better use.
"No, my dear boy, no, I have an assistant already," and he sighed, this time with genuine emotion.