48 MEMOIR OF SWAMMERDAM. 



greater virulence than ever, accompanied with symp- 

 toms which he could not misinterpret. A slow and 

 continued fever was gradually drying up the sources 

 of life ; his countenance became cadaverous, his legs, 

 feet, and belly swollen, and his whole body was racked 

 with continual pains. On becoming acquainted with 

 his condition, Thevenot sent him the Jesuits' bark, 

 then supposed to be of great efficacy in curing fevers ; 

 Swammerdam desired him also to send some specific 

 against the dropsy, if he knew of any such. Finding 

 himself grow gradually worse, he ceased entirely to 

 speak of worldly concerns, and was unremitting in his 

 preparations for the great change that was rapidly 

 approaching. It took place on the 17th February, 

 1680. 



On the 25th January of the same year, when he 

 found himself in such a condition as to leave no hopes 

 of recovery, he had made his will, by which he be- 

 queathed to Thevenot, the friend so often mentioned 

 in the course of this sketch, all his original manuscripts 

 relating to the history of bees, butterflies, &c. along 

 with fifty-two plates which had been engraved from 

 his drawings. He ordered, besides, a collection of 

 valuable papers on scientific subjects, then deposited 

 in the house of Herman Wingendorp, at Leyden, ta 

 be delivered to the same person within a year after 

 his death. Madam Volckers, wife of a physician 

 named Daniel de Hoest, was made his heiress; 

 this lady was also appointed his executrix, jointly 

 with Christopher Van Weylant., but the latter dying 

 soon after, the trust devolved entirely into her hands. 



