MEMOIR OF SWAMMERDAM. 47 



the family strife that ensued, together with the anxiety 

 he continually felt ahout his spiritual state, and his 

 almost unintermitted devotional exercises, again 

 brought on a severe disorder of that description called 

 a double tertian ague. During this long-continued 

 illness, he was mostly confined to bed, and unfit for 

 any exertion ; even when it was so far abated that air 

 and exercise became desirable, he could not be pre- 

 vailed on to leave his bed-chamber. In order to 

 avoid the importunity of his friends on this subject, 

 he persisted for a long time in maintaining an obstinate 

 silence. In this moody and hypochondriacal state of 

 mind, when any one attempted to draw his attention 

 to the investigations which he formerly delighted in, 

 he manifested great dissatisfaction, and even seemed 

 as if he would feel relief by getting completely rid of 

 the objects which he had taken such pains to collect 

 and preserve. A final offer of them was made to 

 Thevenot, that he might dispose of them in France, 

 accompanied with an intimation, that, if he should 

 succeed, Swammerdam would accept of his invitation 

 to come and live with him, provided he were allowed 

 to do so retired and unknown. Thevenot, however, 

 was unsuccessful ; and, as he now despaired of finding 

 a purchaser for the entire collection, he determined 

 to sell it by auction in separate lots, for such sums as 

 might be offered. The sale was advertised to take 

 place in the month of May, 1680. 



With whatever indifference Swammerdam might 



o 



now regard his collection, he was not destined to 

 witness its dispersion. His disorder returned with 



