MEMOIR OF BARON HALLER. 19 



an opportunity of exercising his self-control, and 

 manifesting his good sense and feeling. The house 

 in which he resided having taken fire, he had 

 scarcely time to make his escape, snatching along 

 with him a few of those articles he esteemed the 

 most precious. Among these were his poetical 

 effusions; which taking occasion to examine, and 

 finding that many of them were devoted to bitter 

 criticism and sarcasm, he determined to commit 

 them to the flames, and had the decision to execute 

 his purpose. He reserved only such poems as have 

 transmitted his character with credit to posterity. 



It was now time that Haller should make choice 

 of a profession ; hut he found the more difficulty in 

 this, as his extensive acquirements, and the versatility 

 of his powers, fitted him nearly alike for any. He 

 had, however, some natural bias towards medicine, 

 and a professional and respected friend having en- 

 couraged and cherished this predilection, he, at 

 length, in 1723, came to the decision to resort to 

 Tubingen for the prosecution of his studies. Here 

 he was initiated into the first elements of the art by 

 Camerarius and Duvernoi, then celebrated teachers 

 in that city ; directing, at the same time, a consider- 

 able share of his attention to comparative anatomy. 



During his stay at Tubingen, Haller took part in 

 an adventure, which, though trifling in itself yet 

 as having established an epoque in his life, merits 

 notice in this place. He formed one of a some- 

 what numerous meeting of his young associates, 

 where, after the bottle had circulated somewhat too 



