MEMOIR OF GESNER. 21 



ancient languages of Greece and Rome, in which he 

 attained more than usual proficiency. During his 

 residence in the French capital his circumstances 

 were often much straitened, and he was frequently 

 relieved on these occasions by a young Bernoin of 

 noble family, named Steiger, with whom he h?.d 

 contracted a friendship. But all his resources were 

 ultimately exhausted, and he was obliged to return 

 to Strasburg, in the hope that his friends in that 

 city would be able to obtain for him some employ- 

 ment either as a private or public teacher. Here, 

 however, his stay was very short, for we find that, 

 in 1 536, he returned to his native place, and opened 

 a school for teaching the languages and philosophy. 



He was now about twenty years of age, and 

 although his professional studies were far from being 

 completed, and his situation in life unsatisfactory 

 and precarious, he thought proper to marry ; and 

 notwithstanding the remonstrances of his friends on 

 the imprudence of such a step, under the circum- 

 stances, he never appears to have had the least 

 reason to regret having taken it, but in every 

 respect the contrary. 



We are not informed what success attended him 

 in his capacity as an instructor of youth, but while 

 so employed he conciliated the good will of the 

 magistrates of Zurich, who, appreciating his learn- 

 ing and abilities, sought to obtain him the means of 

 turning them to better account. Through their in- 

 fluence and support, he was enabled to repair to 

 Basle for the purpose of resuming his medical 



