SPALLANZANI 241 



feeling than vehemence of passion." In these days of com- 

 parative psychology, the idea of a vehemently passionate toad 

 raises a smile. 



The Abbe was an enthusiastic traveller and his expeditions 

 to the Milanese Mountains, to Marseilles, Sicily, and his visits 

 to Vesuvius and the Lipari Isles brought in a rich harvest of 

 scientific results. Moreover, Spallanzani by no means confined 

 his attention to biology. He studied natural history in the 

 broadest meaning of the term. He helped to lay the founda- 

 tions of vulcanology and meteorology, he discovered the true 

 explanation of " ducks and drakes " on the surface of water 

 (formerly attributed to " elasticity " of the water), he experi- 

 mented with the water divining rod, and by the aid of Pennet's 

 instrument called " the Minerographico " he and Pennet claimed 

 to have revealed subterranean currents of water in the court- 

 yard of the University. 



In 1784 Spallanzani was projecting his great journey to 

 Constantinople and entered into a correspondence concerning 

 it with his Excellency Count Firmian, the Austrian Minister 

 Plenipotentiary at the Court of Milan. The professor was a 

 past master in the gentle art of pulling strings, and he had 

 hitherto been egregiously successful not only in obtaining 

 permission to undertake expeditions but also in obtaining funds 

 for them and in increasing his stipend. 



Whether or not the University was at length beginning to 

 kick against the pricks is not evident, but his proposal hung 

 fire and the arrangements were being protracted. 



It was at this juncture towards the end of the }^ear that 

 Spallanzani engineered a piece of admirable bluff — or, as he 

 himself called it, a " giro politico " — by asking to be relieved 

 of his post with the excuse that the air in Pavia was 

 unsuitable to his health. Vienna straightway, in order " to 

 preserve for the University a celebrated person " and in order 

 not to prejudice the University in public opinion, promised him 

 handsome compensation in the way of salary if he remained, 

 and also gave him permission to go to Constantinople. And 

 so, " the fogs cleared, the humidity disappeared, and every ill 

 was cured, even the gout," remarks his biographer slyly. 



Spallanzani stayed nearly a year in Turkey, made many 

 valuable observations, was received by the Sultan and, on 

 his way home overland, stopped in Vienna to be presented 



