l68 THE HISTORY OF BIOLOGY 



lectual powers had now waned; in about the year 1673 ^^ ceased to work 

 at his science and became abosrbed in religious contemplation. His old friend 

 Steno sought to take advantage of this state of affairs: at the price of the 

 same religious conversion which he himself had just undergone, he offered 

 Swammerdam splendid prospects in Florence. The latter refused, but instead 

 sought to cure his distress of soul by visiting Antoinette Bourignon, who 

 was very notorious at that time. She was an extremely gifted but hysterical 

 woman who in virtue of personal revelation desired to reform Christianity 

 on ascetic and mystical lines, and who, persecuted by both Catholic and 

 Protestant priests, wandered from country to country surrounded by a small 

 band of believers. Swammerdam joined this band, but was unable to find 

 the peace he sought; after leading a roving life for a couple of years he re- 

 turned in the deepest spiritual and bodily misery to his native country. There 

 at last he obtained, through his father's death, which occurred at the same 

 time, financial independence, but then quarrelled with a sister over the in- 

 heritance, which still further embittered his mind. In the year 1680 he found 

 repose in death, when not yet forty-three years old. In 1880 a beau- 

 tiful monument was raised over his grave and there was created to his 

 memory a fund, which is used for the purpose of giving prizes for research 

 work carried out in the spheres of learning in which he had studied. 



Swammerdam's scientific activities thus lasted for only about six years, 

 during which period he published a few works of great value — particularly, 

 besides the dissertation above mentioned and an essay on the genital organs 

 of woman, a work on the anatomy of insects, in which he recorded his 

 earlier researches on that subject. His still unpublished manuscripts he be- 

 queathed to Thevenot; after the latter's death they passed through many 

 hands until they were finally purchased by the famous Boerhaave of Leyden 

 and were published by him together with the already printed work on insects 

 under the title of Bijbel der Natuure, in 1737. Although it thus came out more 

 than half a century after it had been written, this work was by no means 

 out of date; in fact, it was to be some time before its detailed anatomical 

 descriptions were improved upon — a proof of Swammerdam's incomparable 

 genius as an anatomist of invertebrate life. The title of the work was prob- 

 ably given to it by Boerhaave, but fully reflects the state of mind in which 

 the author found himself towards the close of his life. Nevertheless, religious 

 observations do not form any disturbing element in it; on the contrary, his 

 presentation is purely natural-scientific with the exception of a few con- 

 tributions of the religious moralizing character, particularly one that is a 

 reflection upon the short life of the day-fly. The undoubtedly valuable col- 

 lections on which Swammerdam based these studies were after his death 

 sold by auction and dispersed. 



What still strikes the reader of Swammerdam's works is his mastery 



