Imaginations. Boerhaave, on the contrary, was convinced by daily Experience and a Fund of good Senfe, that the Greek Physicians by diligent Obfervation had determined, with great Accuracy, how Nature acts in producing the Symptoms of Diftempers, and her Methods of relieving herfelf, either with or without the Affistance of Art, and that their Experience had furnished them with very fuccefsful Methods of Cure. The two Points therefore which he feems to have had perpetually in View, were to establish, on mechanical Principles, as much as was poffible, the Doctrine of the Antients with Refpect to the Diagnoftics and Prognoftics of Difcafes, and fhew that they could not be otherwise than they have reprefented them.

But the fecond View is of more Importance than the first, it being no less than to demonftrate, that the Methods of Cure purfued by the antient Phycians were generally the beft that could poffibly have been contrived with the Materials they were acquainted with, though for Reafons to which they were probably Strangers. This appears to me the diftinguishing Character of Boerhaave, and by this he has done almost as much Service to Phyfic, as his Predeceffors for some Centuries had done Mifchiefs.

It is greatly to be lamented that our illuftrious Author did not think proper to publish his Lectures on his Inftitutes and his Aphorifms before his Deceafe. If he had forefeen the fatal Confequences of fuch an Omiffion, I believe his Love to Mankind would have prevailed upon him to have done it, and thereby prevented the Mifchiefs which his great Name, and the Reputation of his Lectures, may poffibly do in the World. That I may explain my Meaning I muft obferve, that it is the Misfortune of the English to be very little used to converse in Latin, though, perhaps, no People in the World understand

it better. Add to this, that as we pronounce Latin in a different Manner from all other Nations, our Ears are not accustomed to the foreign Accent. Hence Foreigners with Difficulty underftand ús, and on the other Hand it is impoffible for us to take their Meaning, especially in long Difcourfes, with that Degree of Exactnefs, which Subjects of Importance require; and indeed it is no eafy Matter to take the entire Senfe of long Difcourfes, though delivered in the Languages we are beft acquainted with. This is the Reafon that many of his Pupils who have long attended his Lectures, for two or three Years have frequently mistaken his Meaning, and held their own Errors with an equal Degree of Veneration with the genuine Doctrine of their Profeffor, and have imprudently neglected to fet themselves right, by examining the Sources from whence Boerhaave himself drew his Treasures; fometimes perhaps because they imagined the Authority of their Profeffor rendered it fuperfluous, and fometimes because they were Strangers to the Languages in which the beft medicinal Authors wrote thus either out of Choice or Neceflity, taking a more eafy, though a lefs certain, Way to Knowledge, than Boerhaave either advised or thought proper to pursue himself.

:

That this has been really the Cafe the fpurious Works attributed to Boerhaave by his Scholars are glaring Evidences; among which his Method of ftudying Phyfic, as I think it is called deferves fome Notice, being a crude and injudicious Performance, and in a great many Inftances contradictory to the Sentiments of Boerhaave, on the Subjects there treated; and as I remember, it recommends fome Authors who never wrote or even exifted. In the fame Rank is the Praxis Medica printed in five Volumes in Holland, though the Title tells us at Padua. In the Preface we are informed, that many of his Au3

ditors

236 LIFE OF DR. BOERHAAVE.

ditors took his Lectures in Writing; that these were carefully compared, and hence this Work was compiled. Yet notwithstanding all this Care, there are not many Pages without fome enormous Error, nor even Sentences without falfe Latin: fo little did they understand either their Profeffor or their Subjects.

With refpect to his Chymiftry, it may be juftly faid, that his Theory is more philofophical, exact and full, and his Proceffes more methodical and regular, than those of any preceding Author on the Subject. It is remarkable, that in this Work he has made many chymical Operations fubfervient to the establishing feveral important Doctrines of the Antients, and to the Confirmation of their Practice. I fhall conclude with remarking, that this Work alone would have been fufficient to raise the Character of any other Man, but is however that in which Boerhaave fhines mnch less than in his Inftitutes and Aphorifms, the laft of which is, perhaps, more useful than any one Book written upon Phyfic, and has had the Honour of being tranflated into Arabic, as is faid by the Mufti, and printed at Conftantinople

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CHARACTER

O F

Mr. WILLIAM COLLINS.

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R. Collins was a Man of extenfive Literature, and of vigorous Faculties. He was acquainted not only with the learned Tongues, but with the Italian, French, and Spanish Languages. He had employed his Mind chiefly upon Works of Fiction, and Subjects of Fancy; and by indulging fome peculiar Habits of Thought, was eminently delighted with those Flights of Imagination which pass the Bounds of Nature, and to which the Mind is reconciled only by a paffive Acquiefcence in popular Traditions. He loved Fairies, Genii, Giants, and Monsters; he delighted to rove through the Meanders of Inchantment, to gaze on the Maguificence of gol en Palaces, to repofe by the Waterfalls of Elyfian Gardens.

This was however the Character rather of his Inclination than his Genius; the Grandeur of Wildnefs, and the Novelty of Extravagance, were always defired by him, but were not always attained. But Diligence is never wholly loft; if his Efforts fometimes caufed Harshness and Obfcurity, they likewife produced in happier Moments Sublimity and Splendour. This Idea which he had formed of Excellence, led him to oriental Fictions and allegorical Imagery; and perhaps, while he was intent upon

De

238 CHARACTER of Mr. COLLINS. Defcription, he did not fufficiently cultivate Sentiment. His Poems are the Productions of a Mind not deficient in Fire, nor unfurnished with Knowledge either of Books or Life, but fomewhat obftructed in its Progrefs, by Deviation in Queft of miftaken Beauties.

His Morals were pure, and his Opinions pious: In a long Continuance of Poverty, and long Habits of Diffipation, it cannot be expected that any Character fhould be exactly uniform. There is a Degree of Want by which the Freedom of Agency is almost deftroyed; and long Affociation with fortuitous Companions will at laft relax the Strictnefs of Truth, and abate the Fervour of Sincerity. That this Man, wife and virtuous as he was, paffed always unentangled through the Snares of Life, it would be Prejudice and Temerity to affirm; but it may be faid that at least he preferved the Source of Action unpolluted, that his Principles were never fhaken, that his Diftinctions of Right and Wrong were never confounded, and that his Faults had nothing of malignity or Design, but proceeded from fome unexpected Preffure, or cafual Temptation.

The latter Part of his Life cannot be remembered, but with Pity and Sadnefs. He languished fome Years under that Depreffion of Mind which enchains the Faculties without deftroying them, and leaves Reason the Knowledge of Right without the Power of pursuing it. Thefe Clouds which he found gathering on in his Intellects, he endeavoured to difperfe by Travel, and paffed into France; but found himfelf conftrained to yield to his Malady, and returned. He was for fome Time confined in a House of Lunatics, and afterwards retired to the Care of his Sifter in Colchester, where Death at laft came to his Relief.

After his Return from France, the Writer of this Character paid him a Vifit at Islington, where he

was