old, to have wrapt up their Secrets in Symbols and Enigmatical Expreffions, either because they believed that Mankind would reverence most what they least understood, or because they wrote not from Benevolence, but Vanity, and were defirous to be praised for their Knowledge, though they could not prevail upon themselves to communicate it.

In 1722 his Courfe both of Lectures and Practice was interrupted by the Gout, which, as he relates it in his Speech after his Recovery, he brought upon himself by an imprudent Confidence in the Strength of his own Conftitution; and by tranfgreffing those Rules which he had a thousand Times inculcated to his Pupils and Acquaintance. Rifing in the Morn ing before Day, he went immediately, hot and fweating, from his Bed into the open Air, and expofed himfelf to the cold Dews.

The Hiftory of his Illness can hardly be read without Horror: He was for five Months confined to his Bed, where he lay upon his Back without daring to attempt the leaft Motion, becaufe any Effort renewed his Torments, which were fo exquifite that he was at length not only deprived of Motion, but of Senfe. Here Art was at a Stand, nothing could be attempted, because nothing could be proposed with the leaft Prospect of Succefs; at length having, in the fixth Month of his Illness, obtained fome Remiffion, he took fimple Medicines in large Quantities, and at length wonderfully recovered.

Succos preffos bibit nofter herbarum Cichorea, Endivie, Fumaria, nafturtij acquatici, Veronica, aquatice latifoliæ, copia ingenti: Simul diglutiens abundantiffime gummi ferulacea Afiatica.

His Recovery fo much defired, and fo unexpected, was celebrated on January 11, 1723, when he opened his School again with general Joy and publick Illu

minations.

It

It would be an Injury to the Memory of Boerhaave not to mention what was related by himself to one of his Friends, that when he lay whole Days and Nights without Sleep, he found no Method of diverting his Thoughts fo effectual as Meditation upon his Studies, and that he often relieved and mitigated the Senfe of his Torments, by the Recollection of what he had read, and by reviewing thofe Stores of Knowledge which he had repofited • in his Memory.'

This is perhaps an Inftance of Fortitude and steady. Compofure of Mind which would have been for ever the Boaft of the Stoick Schools, and increased the Reputation of Seneca or Cato. The Patience of Boerhaave, as it was more rational, was more lafting than theirs: It was that Patientia Chriftiana, which Lipfius the great Master of the Stoical Philofophy, begged of God in his last Hours, it was founded on Religion not Vanity, not on vain Reasonings, but on Confidence in God.

In 1727 he was feized with a violent burning Fever, which continued fo long that he was once more given up by his Friends.

From this Time he was frequently afflicted with Returns of his Diftemper, which yet did not fo far fubdue him, as to make him lay afide his Studies or his Lectures, till in 1729 he found himself so worn out, that it was improper for him to continue any longer the Profefforfhips of Botany and Chymistry, which he therefore refigned April 28; and upon his Refignation he spoke a Sermo Academicus, or Óration, in which he afferts the Power and Wisdom of the Creator, from the wonderful Fabrick of the human Body; and confutes all thofe idle Reafoners who pretend to explain the Formation of Parts, or the animal Operations, to which he proves, that Art can produce nothing equal, nor any Thing parallel. Une Inftance I fhall mention produced by him of

the

6

the Vanity of any Attempt to rival the Works of God. Nothing is more boafted by the Admirers of Chymiftry than that they can, by artificial Heat and Digestion, imitate the Productions of Nature. Let all thefe Heroes of Science meet together,' fays, Boerhaave, let them take Bread and Wine, the • Food that forms the Blood of Man, and by Affimilation contributes to the Growth of the Body: Let them try all their Arts, they fhall not be able from thefe Materials to produce a fingle Drop of Blood.' So much is the most common Act of Nature beyond the utmost Efforts of the moft extended Science.

From this Time Boerhaave lived with lefs publick Employment indeed, but not an idle or a ufeless Life; for befides his Hours fpent in inftructing his Scholars, a great Part of his Time was taken up by Patients, who came when the Distemper would admit it, from all Parts of Europe to confult him, or did it by Letters, which in more urgent Cafes, were continually fent to inquire his Opinion, and ask his Advice.

Of the Sagacity and the wonderful Penetration with which he often difcovered and defcribed at the firft Sight of a Patient, fuch Distempers as betray themselves by no Symptoms to common Eyes, such wonderful Relations have been fpread over the World, as, though attefted beyond doubt, can fcarely be credited. I mention none of them, becaufe I have no Opportunity of collecting Teftimonies, or distinguishing between those Accounts which are well proved, and those which owe their rife to Fiction and Credulity.

Yet I cannot but implore with the greatest Earneftness fuch as have been converfant with this great Man, that they will not fo far neglect the common Intereft of Mankind, as to fuffer any of thefe Circumftances to be loft to Pofterity. Men are generally

idle, and ready to fatisfy themselves, and intimidate the Induftry of others, by calling that impoffible which is only difficult. The Skill to which Boerhaave attained by a long and unwearied Observation of Nature, ought therefore to be tranfmitted in all its Particulars to future Ages, that his Succeffors may be ashamed to fall below him, and that none may hereafter excufe his Ignorance, by pleading the Impoffibility of clearer Knowledge.

Yet fo far was this great Master from prefumptuous Confidence in his Abilities, that in his Examination of the Sick he was remarkably Circumftantial and Particular. He well knew that the Originals of Diftempers are often at a Diftance from their vifible Effects; that to acquiefce in Conjecture, where Certainty may be obtained, is either Vanity or Negligence; and that Life is not to be facrificed either to an Affectation of quick Difcernment, or of crouded Practice, but may be required, if trifled away, at the Hand of the Phyfician.

About the Middle of the Year 1737 he felt the firft Approaches of that fatal Illness that brought him to the Grave; of which we have inferted an Ac count, written by himself, September 1738, to a Friend at London; which deferves not only to be preferved, as an hiftorical Relation of the Disease which deprived us of fo great a Man, but as a Proof of his Piety and Refignation to the Divine Will.

Etas, labor, corporifque opima pinguetudo, effecerant ante annum, ut inertibus refertum, grave, hebes, plenitudine turgens corpus, anhelum ad motus, minimos, cum fenfu fuffocationis, pulfu mirifice anomalo, ineptum evaderet ad ulium motum. Urgebat præcipue fubfiftens prorfus et intercepte refpiratio ad primi fomni initia: unde fomnus prorfus prohibebatur cum formidabili ftrangulationis moleftia. Hinc hydrops pedum, crurum, femorum, fcroti, præputii & abdominis. Qua præputii

VOL. II.

tamen

tamen omnia fublata. Sed dolor manet in abdomine cum anxietate fumma anhe.itu fuffocante, & debilitate incredibili. Somno pauco, eoque vago. Per fomnia turbatiffimo. Animus vero rebus ageridis impar. Cum tris lector feffus, neque emergo. Patienter expectans Dei jufa, quibus refigno data, quæ fola amo, et ho

noro unice.

In this laft Illnefs, which was to the laft Degree lingering, painful, and afflictive, his Conftancy and Firmness did not forfake him. He neither intermitted the neceffary Cares of Life, nor forgot the proper Preparations for Death. Though Dejection and Lownefs of Spirit was, as he himfelf tells us, Part of his Diftemper, yet even this, in fome Meafure, gave way to that Vigour which the Soul receives from a Confcioufnefs of Innocence.

About three Weeks before his Death he received a Vifit at his Country-houfe from the Rev. Mr. Schultens, his intimate Friend, who found him fitting without Doors, with his Wife, Sifter, anď Daughter. After the Compliments of Form, the Ladies withdrew, and left them to private Converfation; when Boerhaave took Occafion to tell him what had been, during his Illness, the chief Subjec of his Thoughts. He had never doubted of the fpiritual and immaterial Nature of the Soul, but declared, that he had lately had a Kind of experimental Certainty of the Distinction between corporeal and thinking Subftances, which mere Reafon and Phi lofophy cannot afford; and Opportunities of contemplating the wonderful and inexplicable Union of Soul and Body, which nothing but long Sicknefs can give. This he illuftrated by a Defcription of the Effects which the Infirmities of his Body had upon his Faculties, which yet they did not fo opprefs or vanquish, but his Soul was always Mafter