CHARACTERS. 3 
fare as far removed from credulity 
on one hand, as from {cepticifm on 
the other. From the lectures of 
Du Vernoy he imbibed his firft tafte 
for botany, and made fo rapid a 
_ progrefs in the ftudy of anatomy, 
that his mafter predicted, from fe- 
veral differtations, his future pro- 
ficiency in that line. Notwith- 
ftanding, however, his ftrong and | 
invariable attachment to thefe two 
branches of natural hiftory, he re- 
prefents himfelf as ftudying invita 
minervd, again nature; anatomy 
though he could not fupport bad 
“fmells, and botany though he was 
extremely fhort-fighted. At Tu- 
_bingen he alfo diftinguifhed his 
_ knowledge in mineralogy, by re- 
_ futing the error of Tournefort, in 
_ aferibing to foflils a vegetating 
| power. 
_ During his continuance in that 
_univerfity, he gave an inftance of 
! his early controul over his paflions ; 
_a difficult conqueft for a young man 
“of ftrdng feelings and lively imagi- 
“nation, A fingle deviation into 
_excefs, into which he had been 
hurried by the example of fome of 
his fellow-pupils, fo greatly affetted 
a perfon like him, no lefs enamour- 
_ ed of virtue, than fufceptible of in- 
i aay fhame, that he inftantly 
ormed a refolution to abftain from 
“wine; and adopted a ftriétnefs of 
Morals, which renders highly pro- 
bable the affertion of his French 
_ encomiaft, the Marquis de Condor- 
cet, that he was defcended froma 
family, in which piety might be 
“Maid to be hereditary. 
In 1725, Haller repaired to Ley- 
den, to which place he was drawn 
by the great reputation of Boer- 
haave. Here he found a more am- 
ple field for a difplay of his abilities, 
the improvement of his mind, 
He became the favourite fcholar of 
Boerhaave, by whofe example and 
encouragement he ftrengthened his 
growing inclination for botany. He 
nated down his maiter’s lectures on 
the Inftitutes of Medicine with fuch 
precifion, as afterwards gave birth‘ 
to one of his moft ufeful publica- 
tions. He continued his anatomical 
ftudies under Albinus, juft then rifing 
into fame, and the venerable Ruych, 
who fo highly improved the art 
of injecting anatomical prepara- 
tions. 
The precarious ftate of his health, 
probably occafioned, or at leaft in- 
creafed, by his intenfe application, 
induced him to accompany two of 
his countrymen through part of 
Germany. On his return, in 1726, 
he received his dottor’s degree, 
though only in the nineteenth year 
of his age; and publifhed on that 
occafion his inaugural diflertation de 
Dudu falivali Cofchwixiano. 
In 1727 he vifited England, was 
favourably received by Chefelden, 
Douglas, and Sir ‘Hans Sloane 5 
and improved his knowledge of me- 
dicine and furgery under the aufpi- 
ces of thofe celebrated men, and by 
diligently attending the hofpitals. 
At Paris, whither he next di- 
rected his courfe, he ftudied botany 
under Geoffroy and Juffieu; ana- 
tomy under Le Dran and Winflow, 
a celebrated furgeon. Winflow was 
indeed his favourite matter, to whom 
he ‘particularly attached himfelf; 
whom he propofed to his difciples 
as the beft model for their imitation, 
as an anatomift who, fhackled by 
no iyftem, defcribed fimply and 
faithfully what he himfelf obferved 
in his diffections. 
Haller had propofed to continue 
his travels to Italy, that country 
where medicinal knowledge firft). 
Bz revived 
