TEREDO. 63 



the political prospects of Europe, by undermining the piles 

 and interests of Holland. Sellius was a native of Dantzic, 

 very learned, but very unfortunate. He began life wealthy, 

 but ruined himself by the expenses of his studies and travels. 

 He was versed in all ancient and modern literature, and 

 wrote many learned works on law and history, besides very 

 numerous translations. He was at one time a professor in 

 the university of Gottingen, and afterwards in Halle, but 

 his difficulties would not let him remain long in one place : 

 he retreated to Paris, and, sad to tell, died mad in the hos- 

 pital at Charenton. His work on the Teredo^ a small 

 quarto of 360 pages, is a most remarkable production. In 

 it all the learning of the ancients and of the moderns, up to 

 his time, is brought to bear upon the history of the ship- 

 worm, or to ornament, by apt quotation, the digressions 

 suggested by his subject. Nearly two hundred authors are 

 cited. More than once, among the many scraps of ancient 

 poetry with which he lightens the tedium of his monograph, 

 he quotes with admiration those lines of Ovid in which the 

 poet makes unquestionable mention of the Teredo ; they 

 were singularly applicable to his own history: — 



" Estur lit occulta vitiata teredine navis ; 



-^quorei scopulos ut cavat unda sails ; 

 Roditur ut scabra positum rubigine ferrum ; 



Conditus ut tineae carpitur ore liber : 

 Sic mea perpetuos curarum pectora morsus, 



Fine quibus nullo conficiantur, habent."* 



* Ovid. Epist. ex Pont. Lib. 1, Ep. 1. 

 An imitation, though rude, may not be unacceptable : — 



For as the ship by hidden shipworm spoil'd ; 



Or as the rock by briny wavelet mined 

 Or as the rested sword by mst is soil'd ; 



Or book unread the tiny moths unbind : 

 So gnawed and nibbled, without hope of rest, 

 By cares unceasing, is my tortured breast. 



