MICHAEL SERVETUS. 521 



about the doctrine of Transubstantiation, why should he not 

 inquire into the truth of the doctrine of the Trinity. But the 

 reception afforded to his two works was of such a kind as to con- 

 vince him that he had committed an imprudent act in allowing 

 his name to appear as the author, and he accordingly changed his 

 name and retired to Lyons. The name he now assumed, and by 

 which he was always afterward known, was Michael Villeneuve, 

 or Villanovanus, after the town of Villanueva, in Aragon, from 

 which he probably came. 



At Lyons he found work as a corrector for the press, at the 

 publishing firm of the Brothers Trechsel, and he edited the 

 Geography of Ptolemy. The description of Palestine which this 

 book contained, although really an extract and not an original 

 statement by Servetus, was quoted against him eighteen years 

 afterward when he was tried for his life at Geneva. It concluded 

 with these words : " Know, however, most worthy reader, that it 

 is mere boasting and untruth when so much of excellence is 

 ascribed to this land; the experience of merchants and others, 

 travelers who have visited it, proving it to be inhospitable, bar- 

 ren, and destitute of all charm. "Wherefore you may say that the 

 land was promised, indeed, but is of little promise when spoken of 

 in every-day terms." 



The latter part of the following description of the Germans, 

 which is given in this book, looks like an expression of Servetus's 

 own opinion: "Hungary is commonly said to produce oxen, 

 Bavaria swine, Franconia onions, turnips, and licorice, Swabia 

 harlots, Bohemia heretics, Switzerland butchers, Westphalia 

 cheats, and the whole country gluttons and drunkards. The 

 Germans, however, are a religious people ; not easily turned from 

 opinions they have once espoused, and not readily persuaded to 

 concord in matters of schism, every one valiantly and obstinately 

 defending the heresy he has himself adopted." 



While thus working at Lyons, Servetus formed the acquaint- 

 ance of Doctor Campeggius, to whose influence it was perhaps 

 due that he decided to take up the study of medicine. To carry 

 out this determination he proceeded to Paris, and entered as a 

 student at the university under Johannes Guinterus (Winter of 

 Andernach) and Sylvius. Here he had as a fellow-student 

 Andreas Vesalius, the famous anatomist, to whom, as well as to 

 Servetus, their teacher Winter makes a laudatory reference some 

 time afterward. Writing in the preface to his Anatomical Insti- 

 tutions, published in 1539, Winter informs his readers that he 

 " had been effectually aided in the preparation of the work, first 

 by Andreas Vesalius, a young man, by Hercules ! singularly pro- 

 ficient in anatomy ; and after him by Michael Villanovanus, dis- 

 tinguished by his literary acquirements of every kind, and 



