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wards from Hippocrates through all the Greek and Latin Writers.

Finding, as he tells himself, that Hippocrates was the original Source of all medicinal Knowledge, and that all the later Writers were little more than Tranfcribers from him, he returned to himwith more Attention, and fpent much Time in making Extracts from him, digefting his Treatifes into Method, and fixing them in his Memory.

He then defcended to the Moderns, among whom none engaged him longer, or improved him more, than Sydenham, to whole Merits he has left this Atteflation; that he frequently perufed him, and always with greater Eagerness.

His infatiable Curiofity after Knowledge engaged him now in the Practice of Chymiftry, which he profecuted with all the Ardor of a Philofopher, whofe Iuduftry was not to be wearied, and whofe Love of Truth was too ftrong to fuffer him to acquiefce in the Reports of others.

Yet di: he not fuffer one Branch of Science to withdraw his Attention from others; Anatomy did not withold him from the Profecution of Chymiftry, nor Chymistry, enchanting as it is, from the Study of Botany. He was not only a careful Examiner of all the Plants in the Garden of the Univerfity, but made Excurfions, for his further Improvement, into the Woods and Fields, and left no Place unvifited where any Increase of botanical Knowledge could be reafonably hoped for.

In Conjunction with all thefe Enquiries, he fill purfued his theological Studies; and ftill, as we are informed by himfelf, propofed, when he had made himfelf Matter of the whole Art of Phyfic, and obtained the Honor of a Degree in that Science, to pe tition regularly for a Licence to preach, and to engage in the Cure of Souls; and intended, in his theological Exercifes, to discuss this Question; Why so 6 ⚫ many

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many were formerly converted to Chriftianity by illiterate Perfons, and fo few at present by Men ⚫ of Learning.'

In Purfuance of their Plan he went to Hardwick, in order to take the Degree of Doctor in Phyfic, which he obtained in July 193, having performed a public Difputation, De Utilitate exploranderum excrementorum in Egris, ut Signorum.

Then returning to Leyden full of his pious Defign. of undertaking the Miniftry, he found, to his Surprize unexpected Obftacles thrown in his Way, and an Infinuation difperfed through the University, that made him fufpected, not of any flight Deviation from received Opinions, not of any pertinacious Adherence to his own Notions in doubtful and difputable Matters, but of no less than Spinoffm; or in plainer Terms, of Atheifm itself.

How fo injurious a Report came to be raised, circulated and credited, will be doubtlefs very eagerly inquired, and an exact Relation of the Affair will not only fatisfy the Curiofity of Mankind, but fhew that no Merit, however exalted, is exempt from being not only attacked, but wounded, by the most contemptible Whispers. Thofe who cannot ftrike with Force, can however poifon their Weapon, and weak as they are give mortal Wounds, and bring a Hero to the Grave: fo true is that Obfervation, that many are able to do Hurt, but few to do Good.

This deteftable Calumny owed its Rife to an Incident from which no Confequence of Importance could be reafonably apprehended. As Boerhaave was fitting in a common Boat, there arose a Converfation among the Paffengers upon the impious and pernicious Doctrine of Spinofa, which as they all agreed tends to the utter Overthrow of all Religion. Boerhaave fat and filently attended to this Difcourfe for fome Time, till one of the Company, willing to diftinguish himself by his Zeal, instead

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LIFE OF DR. BOERHAAVE.

of confuting the Pofitions of Spinofa by Argument, began to give a Loofe to contumelious Language and virulent Invectives, with which Boerhaave was fo little pleafed, that at laft he could not forbear afking him, "Whether he had ever read the Author against whom he declaimed ?"

The Orator not being able to make much Anfwer, was check'd in the Midft of his Invectives, but not without feeling a fecret Refentment against him who at once interrupted his Harangue and expofed his Ignorance.

This was obferved by a Stranger who was in the Boat with them: he inquired of his Neighbour the Name of the young Man, whofe Queftion had put an End to the Difcourfe; and having learned it, fet it down in his Pocket Book, as it foon appeared with a malicious Defign; for in a few Days, it was the common Converfation at Leyden, that Boerhaave had revolted to Spinofa.

It was in vain that his Advocates and Friends pleaded his learned and unanfwerable Confutation of all atheistical Opinions, and particularly of the Syftem of Spinofa, in his Difcourfe of the Diftruction between Soul and Body; fuch Calumnies are not easily fuppreffed, when they are once become general: They are kept alive and fupported by the Malice of bad, and fometimes by the Zeal of good Men who, though they do not abfolutely believe them, think it yet the fureft Method, to keep not only guilty, but fufpected Men out of public Employments, upon this Principle, that the Safety of many is to be preferred before the Advantage of a few.

Boerhaave finding this formidable Oppofition raifed against his Pretenfions to ecclefiaftical Honours and Preferments, and even against his Defign of affuming the Character of a Divine, thought it neither neceflary nor prudent to ftruggle with the Tor

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rent of popular Prejudice, as he was equally qualified for a Profeffion, not indeed of equal Dignity or Importance, but which muft undoubtedly claim the facred Place among thofe which are of the greatest Benefit to Mankind.

He therefore applied himself to his medicinal Studies with freth Ardour and Alacrity, reviewed all his former Obfervations and Inquiries, and was continually employed in making new Acquifitions.

Having now qualified himself for the Practice of Phyfic, he began to vifit Patients, but without that Encouragement which others, not equally deferving, have fometimes met with: His Bufinefs was at first not great, and his Circumftances by no Means eafy; but, ftill fuperior to any Difcouragement, he continued his Search after Knowledge, and determined, that Profperity, if ever he was to enjoy it, fhould be the Confequence, not of mean Art or difingenuous Solicitations, but of real Merit and folid Learning.

His fteady Adherence to his Refolutions appears yet more plainly from this Circumftance: He was, while yet he remained in this unpleafing Situation, invited by one of the firft Favourites of King William the Third, to fettle at the Hague upon very advantageous Conditions, but declined the Offer: For having no Ambition but after Knowledge, he was defirous of living at Liberty, without any Reftraint upon his Looks, his Thoughts, or his Tongue, and at the utmost Distance from all Contentions and ftate Parties. His Time was wholly taken up in vifiting the Sick, ftudying, making chymical Experiments, fearching into every Part of Medicine, with the utmoft Diligence, teaching the Mathematicks, and reading the Scriptures and thofe Authours who profefs to teach a certain Method of loving God.

This was his Method of living to the Year 1701, when he was recommended by Mr. Vanberg to the

University,

218 LIFE OF DR. BOERHAAVE.

Univerfity, as a proper Perfon to fucceed Drelincourt in the Office of Lecturer on the Inftitutes of Phyfic, and elected without any Solicitation on his Part, and almoft without his Confent on the 18th of May.

On this Occafion having obferved, with Grief, that Hippocrates, whom he regarded not only as the Father, but as the Prince of Phyficians, was not fufficiently read or efteemed by young Students, he pronounced an Oration, De commendando Studio Hippocratico; by which he reftored that great Author to his just and antient Reputation.

He now began to read public Lectures with great Applaufe, and was prevailed upon by his Audience to enlarge his original Defign, and inftruct them in Chymistry.

This he undertook not only to the great Advantge of his Pupils, but to the great Improvement of the Art itself, which had hitherto been treated only in a confused and irregular Manner, and was little more than a Hiftory of Particular Experiments, not reduced to certain Principles nor connected one with another. This vaft Chaos he reduced to Order, and made that clear and eafy, which was before to the laft Degree perplexed and obfcure.

His Reputation began now to bear fome Proportion to his Merit, and extended itself to diftant Univerfities; fo that in 1703 the Profefforfhip of Phyfic being vacant at Groningen, he was invited thither, but he chofe to continue his prefent Course of Life, and therefore refufed to quit Leyden.

This Invitation and Refufal being related to the Governors of the Univerfity of Leyden, they had fo grateful a Senfe of his Regard for them, that they jmmediately voted an honorary Increase of his Salary, and promised him the first Profefforship that fhould be vacant.

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On this Occafion he pronounced an Oration upon the Ufe of Mechanics in the Science of Phy

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