the Vanity of any Attempt to rival the Works of God. Nothing is more boasted by the Admirers of Chymistry than that they can, by artificial Heat and Digestion, imitate the Productions of Nature.' Let all thefe Heroes of Science meet together,' says Boerhaave, let them take Bread and Wine, the Food that forms the Blood of Man, and by Assi• milation contributes to the Growth of the Body: Let them try all their Arts, they shall 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 useless 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 Diftemper 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 afk 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, fuch wonderful Relations have been fpread over the World, as, though attefted beyond doubt, can fcarely be credited. I mention none of them, because I have no Opportunity of collecting Testimonies, or diftinguishing between thofe Accounts which are well proved, and those which owe their rife to Fiction and Credulity.

Yet I cannot but implore with the greatest Earneftness such as have been converfant with this great Man, that they will not fo far neglect the common Interest of Mankind, as to fuffer any of these Circumstances 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 Boerbaave attained by a long and unwearied Obfervation 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 Mater from prefumptuous Confidence in his Abilities, that in his Examination of the Sick he was remarkably Circumstantial and Particular. He well knew that the Ori ginals of Diftempers are often at a Distance 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 Discernment, 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 Account, 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 Resignation to the Divine Will.

Eras, 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 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 Firmnefs did not forfake him. He neither intermitted the neceflary Cares of Life, nor forgot the proper Preparations for Death. Though Dejection and Lownefs of Spirit was, as he himself tells us, Part of his Distemper, 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, and. 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 Subject 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 Diftinction between corporeal and thinking Subftances, which mere Reafon and Philofophy 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 Master

of

of itself, and always refigned to the Pleasure of its Maker.

He related with great Concern, that once his Patience fo far gave Way to Extremity of Pain, that after having laid fifteen Hours in exquifite Tortures, he prayed to God that he might be fet free by Death.

Mr. Schultens, by Way of Confolation, anfwered, that he thought fuch Wishes, when forced by continued and exceflive Torments, unavoidable in the prefent State of human Nature; that the best of Men, even Job himself, were not able to refrain from fuch Starts of Impatience: This he did not deny, but faid, He that loves God ought to think nothing defirable, but what is most pleasing to the Supreme Goodness.'

Such were his Sentiments, and fuch his Conduct, in this State of Weakness and Pain: As Death approached nearer, he was fo far from Terror and Confufion, that he seemed even lefs fenfible of Pain, and more chearful under his Torments, which continued till the 23d Day of September, 1738, on which he died, between Four and Five in the Morning, in the 70th Year of his Age.

Thus died Boerhaave, a Man formed by Nature for great Designs, and guided by Religion in the Exertion of his Abilities: He was of a robust and athletic Conftitution of Body, fo hardened by early Severities, and wholefome Fatigue, that he was infenfible of any Sharpness of Air, or Inclemency of Weather. He was tall, and remarkable for extraordinary Strength: there was in his Air and Motion fomething rough and artlefs, but fo majestic and great at the fame Time, that no Man ever looked upon him without Veneration, and a Kind of tacit Submiffion to the Superiority of his Genius.

The Vigour and Activity of his Mind fparkled vifibly in his Eyes; nor was it obferved that any Change of his Fortune, or Alteration in his Af

fairs,

firs, whether happy or unfortunate, affected his Countenance.

6

He was always chearful, and defirous of promoting Mirth by a facetious and humourous Converfation. He was never foured by Calumny and De-. traction; nor ever thought it neceffary to confute them; for they are Sparks,' faid he, which, if you do not blow them, will go out of themselves.' Yet he took Care never to provoke Enemies by Severity of Cenfure; for he never dwelt on the Faults or Defects of others; and was fo far from inflaming the Envy of his Rivals, by dwelling on his own Excellencies, that he rarely mentioned himfelf or his Writings.

He was not to be overawed or depreffed by the Prefence, Frowns, or Infolence of great Men; but perfifted on all Occafions in the right, with a Refolution always prefent, and always calm. He was modeft, but not timorous; and firm without Rudenefs.

He could, with uncommon Readiness and Certainty, make a Conjecture of Men's Inclinations and Capacity, by their Afpect.

His Method of Life was to ftudy in the Morning. and Evening, and to allot the Middle of the Day to his publick Bufinefs. He rofe at Four in the Summer, and Five in the Winter. His ufual Exercife was kiding, till, in his latter Years, his Diftempers made it more proper for him to walk. When he was weary, he amufed himself by playing on the

Violin.

His greatest Pleasure was to retire to his House in the Country, where he had a Garden of eight Acres, ftored with all the Herbs and Trees which the Climate would bear. Here he used to enjoy his Hours unmolefted, and profecute his Studies without Interruption.

The