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fic; in which he endeavoured to recommend a rational and mathematical Inquiry into the Caufes of Difcafes and the Structure of Bodies; and to fhew the Folly and Weaknefs of the Jargon introduced by Paracelfus, Helmont, and other chymical Enthufiafts, who have obtruded idle Dreams upon the World, and inftead of enlightening their Readers with explicating of Nature, have darkened the plaineft Appearances, and bewildered Mankind in Error and Obfcurity.

Boerhaave had now for nine Years read Physical Lectures, but without the Title or Dignity of a Profeffor, when, by the Death of Profeffor Hotten, the Profefforship of Phyfic and Botany fell to him of Course.

On this Occafion he afferted the Simplicity and Facility of the Science of Phyfic, in Oppofition to those who think that Obfcurity contributes to the Dignity of Learning, and that to be admired it is neceffary not to be underftood.

His Profeffion of Botany made it a Part of his Duty to fuperintend the physical Garden, which he improved fo much by the immenfe Number of new Plants which he procured, that it was inlarged to twice its original Extent.

In 1714 he was defervedly advanced to the highest Dignities of the Univerfity, and in the fame Year made Phyfician of St. Augustine's Hofpital in Leyden, into which the Students are admitted twice a Week to learn the Practice of Phyfic.

This was of equal Advantage to the Sick and to the Students, for the Success of his Practice was the beft Demonftration of the Soundness of his Principles.

When he laid down his Office of Governor of the University, in 1715, he made an Oration upon the Subject of Attaining to Certainty in Natural Philofophy;" in which he declares himself, in the ftrongest Terms, a Favourer of Experimental Know

ledge,

220 LIFE OF DR. BOERHAAVE.

ledge, and reflects with juft Severity upon thofe ar rogant Philofophers who are too cáfily difgufted with the flow Methods of obtaining true Notions by frequent Experiments, and who, poffeffed with too high an Opinion of their own Abilities, rather chufe to confult their own Imaginations, than inquire into Nature; and are better pleafed with the delightful Amusements of forming Hypothefes, than the toilfome Drudgery of amaffing Obfervations.

The Emptinefs and Uncertainty of all thofe Syftems, whether venerable for their Antiquity, or agreeable for their Novelty, he has evidently shewn ; and not only declared, but proved, that we are entirely Ignorant of the Principles of Things; and that all the Knowledge we have is of fuch Qualities alone as are discoverable by Experience, or fuch as may be deduced from them by Mathematical Demonstration.

This Difcourfe, filled as it was with Piety, and a true Senfe of the Greatnefs of the Supreme Being, and the Incomprehenfibility of his Works, gave fuch Offence to a Profeffor of Franker, who having long entertained a high Efteem for Defcartes, confidered his Principles as the Bulwark of Orthodoxy, that he appeared in Vindication of his darling Authour, and complained of the Injury done him with the greateft Vehemence, declaring little lefs than that) the Cartefian Syftem and the Chriftian muft inevitably ftand and fall together; and that to fay we were Ignorant of the Principles of Things, was not "only to enlift among the Scepticks, but to fink into Atheifm itfelf. So far can Prejudice darken the Underftanding, as to make it confider precarious and uncertain Syflems as the chief Support of facred and unvariable Truth.

This Treatment of Boerhaave was fo far refented by the Governors of his Univerfity, that they procured from Franker a Recantation of the Invective that had been thrown out againft him. This was

not

not only complied with, but Offers were made him of more ample Satisfaction, to which he returned an Answer not lefs to his Honour than the Victory he gained: That he fhould think himself fufficiently compenfated, if his warned Adverfary received no farther Moleftation on his Account.'

So far was this weak and injudicious Attack from fhaking a Reputation, not cafually raised by Fashion or Caprice, but founded upon folid Merit, that the fame Year his Correfpondence was defired upon Botany and Natural Philofophy, by the Academy of Sciences at Paris, of which he was, upon the Death of Count Marfigli, in the Year 1728, elected a Member.

Nor were the French the only Nation by which this great Man was courted and diftinguifhed; for two Years after he was elected Fellow of our Royal Society.

It cannot be doubted, but thus careffed and honoured with the highest and most publick Marks of Efteem by other Nations, he became more celebrated in his own Univerfity; for Boerhaave was not one of those learned Men, of whom the World has feen too many, that difgrace their Studies by their Vices, and by unaccountable Weakneffes make themfelves ridiculous at home, while their Writings procure them the Veneration of diftant Countries where their Learning is known, but not their Follies.

Not that his Countrymen can be charged with being infenfible of his Excellencies, till other Nations taught them to admire him; for in 1718 he was chofen to fucceed de Mort in the Profefforfhip of Chymiftry, on which Occafion he pronounced an Oration, de Chymia errores fuos expurgante; in which he treated that Science with an Elegance of Style not often to be found in Chymical Writers, who feem generally to have affected not only a barbarous, but unintelligible Phrafe, and, like the Pythagoreans of

old,

222 LIFE OF DR. BOERHAAVE.

old, to have wrapt up their Secrets in Symbols and Enigmatical Expreffions, either because they believed that Mankind would reverence most what they leaft understood, or becaufe 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 tranfgrefling thofe Rules which he had a thousand Times inculcated to his Pupils and Acquaintance. Rifing in the Morning before Day, he went immediately, hot and fweating, from his Bed into the open Air, and exposed himself 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 propofed with the leaft Proipect of Succefs; at length having, in the fixth Month of his Illnefs, obtained fome Remiffion, he took fimple Medicines in large Quantities, and at length wonderfully recovered.

Succos preffos bibit nofter herbarum Cichorea, Endiviæ, Fumaria, nafturtij acquatici, Veronica, aquatica latifolia, 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.'

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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 Beerhaave, as it was more rational, was more lafting than theirs It was that Patientia Chriftiana, which Lip-. fius the great Mafter of the Stoical Philofophy, begged of God in his laft Hours, it was founded on Religion not Vanity, not on vain Reafonings, 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 Oration,

in which he afferts the Power and Wisdom of the Creator, from the wonderful Fabrick of the human Body; and confutes all thofe idle Reasoners 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. One Inftance I shall mention produced by him of

the

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