60 BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 



ing picture, taken from Ray's correspondence, shows the fine 

 control of his spirit. Under the date of April, 1684, Dr. 

 Tancred Robinson writes : " Just as I left Bononia I had a 

 lamentable spectacle of Malpighi's house all in flames, 

 occasioned by the negligence of his old wife. All his pic- 

 tures, furniture, books, and manuscripts were burnt. I saw 

 him in the very heat of the calamity, and methought I never 

 beheld so much Christian patience and philosophy in any 

 man before; for he comforted his wife and condoled nothing 

 but the loss of his papers." 



Education. Malpighi was born at Crevalcuore, near 

 Bologna, in 1628. His parents were landed peasants, or 

 farmers, enjoying an independence in financial matters. As 

 their resources permitted it, they designed to give Marcellus, 

 their eldest child, the advantage of masters and schools. 

 He began a life of study ; and, before long, he showed a taste 

 for belles-lettres and for philosophy, which he studied under 

 Natali. 



Through the death of both parents, in 1649, Malpighi 

 found himself orphaned at the age of twenty-one, and as he 

 was the eldest of eight children, the management of domestic 

 affairs devolved upon him. He had as yet made no choice 

 of a profession ; but, through the advice of Natali, he resolved, 

 in 1651, to study medicine. This advice followed, in 1653, 

 at the age of twenty-five, he received from the University of 

 Bologna the degree of Doctor of Medicine. 



University Positions. In the course of a few years he 

 married the sister of Massari, one of his teachers in anatomy, 

 and became a candidate for a chair in the University of 

 Bologna. This he did not immediately receive, but, about 

 1656, he was appointed to a post in the university, and began 

 his career as a teacher and investigator. He must have 

 shown aptitude for this work, for he was soon called to the 

 University of Pisa, where, fortunately for his development, 



