5 22 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



scarcely second to any in his knowledge of the teaching of 

 Galen." 



After taking his degree, Servetus lectured in Paris on geome- 

 try and astrology. The lectures on the latter subject involved 

 him in a dispute with the university ; and in March, 1538, we find 

 him defending by counsel a suit that was brought against him by 

 the medical faculty on account of these lectures. In 1537 he 

 wrote a little book, Syruporum Universa ratio, the most popular, 

 perhaps, of all his writings, containing six lectures on digestion, 

 with one chapter the fifth devoted to the composition and use 

 of sirups, or tisanes. 



In June, 1538, he was at the University of Lou vain study- 

 ing theology and Hebrew ; and in a letter to his father written 

 from this place, he explains that he has left Paris, owing to 

 the death of his master, but hopes to return soon. After prac- 

 ticing as a doctor for a short time at Charlieu, he continued 

 his studies for part of 1540 at the University of Montpellier, 

 where unusual facilities were at that time afforded to medical 

 students. 



At Paris, some years before, Servetus had made the acquaint- 

 ance of Pierre Paurnier, a man of learned tastes, who was now 

 Archbishop of Vienne, in Dauphiny. At his invitation the Span- 

 iard took up his residence at Vienne, and there appears to have 

 lived in quiet seclusion from 1541 to 1553. His professional work 

 was not too heavy to allow of his taking up literary pursuits also. 

 He brought out a new edition of Ptolemy's Geography, and he 

 annotated the Latin Bible of Pagnini. In his preface to the latter 

 work he intimates what he considers to be the proper method of 

 interpreting the prophetical books. He says that people who are 

 ignorant of the affairs and customs of the Hebrews easily think 

 the historical and literal sense of no importance ; and in conse- 

 quence of this they ridiculously follow a mystical interpretation 

 everywhere. " Wherefore," he adds, " I would desire you again 

 and again, Christian reader, to get the knowledge of the Hebrew 

 in the first place, and, after that, diligently to apply yourself to 

 the study of Jewish history, before you enter upon the reading of 

 the prophets." 



One of the gravest charges brought against Servetus by Calvin 

 was that by such a method of interpretation " this impostor has 

 dared to give such a wrong turn to the passages (contained in the 

 fifty-third chapter of Isaiah) as to interpret them of Cyrus. So 

 that whatever the prophet has with great perspicuity, and with 

 the utmost force of expression, discoursed, this perfidious villain 

 has blotted out (delevit hie perjidus nebulo)." 



Here it may be remarked that while no one would pretend 

 that Servetus was a biblical critic and expositor, yet his method 



