MEMOIR OP SWAMMERDAM. b9 



be said to have originated with Swammerdam. His 

 intimate acquaintance with human anatomy, which 

 had made considerable progress hefore his time, 

 prepared him to enter upon the enquiry in the most 

 intelligent manner; and the sagacity, penetration 

 and zeal with which he pursued it, are not a little 

 remarkable. In the latter quality especially, he 

 scarcely ever had an equal : no difficulties could 

 deter, no disappointment discourage, and scarcely 

 any degree of labour exhaust him. His enquiries 

 were frequently carried on for a length of time 

 together, with little interruption, both by night and 

 day, without allowing himself the requisite time 

 either for taking food or natural rest. When the 

 subject occupied his mind, it did so almost to the 

 entire exclusion of every thing else. His profession 

 was neglected, his father's displeasure disregarded, 

 his health sacrificed. This exclusive engrossment 

 was certainly in him in some degree of a morbid 

 nature. His constitution and temperament strongly 

 predisposed him to that kind of enthusiasm Avhich 

 is allied to a species of mania. By sedentary habits, 

 and the prevention of that wholesome play of the 

 faculties produced by an alternation of pursuits, 

 he aggravated the disorders to which he was na- 

 turally liable, and brought on a state of dejection 

 and hypochondriasis, which cast a shade over a 

 large portion of his life. To this cause, also, ought 

 to be ascribed, in no small degree, the mistaken 

 views he adopted regarding religious duty ; his no- 

 tion that it was incompatible with the ordinary 



