18 MEMOIR OF CAMPER. 



this allowed, it ought surely to be reckoned rather 

 as an advantage than as a subject of regret and de- 

 preciation. The mechanism of the Divine Archi- 

 tect which they thus unfold, yields in interest to no 

 natural objects that can be presented to our contem- 

 plation ; while its varied adaptation to purposes as 

 extraordinary and astonishing as they are benevolent 

 and wise, tends not more to exercise the powers of 

 the understanding, than to awaken the best and 

 noblest sentiments of our nature. To any one who 

 doubts the justice of these observations, we recom^ 

 mend a perusal of the life of Dr Camper, and an 

 examination of his varied and deeply interesting re- 

 searches. 



PETER CAMPER, the subject of this memoir, was 

 born on the llth of May 1722, at Leyden, where 

 his family had for a long period held distinguished 

 situations in the magistracy. His grandfather exer- 

 cised the profession of medicine; and his father, 

 Florent Camper, was a Protestant clergyman, who, 

 after discharging his functions for several years in 

 Batavia, the then flourishing capital of the Dutch 

 settlements in the East Indies, returned in 1715 

 to his native country, where he continued to be 

 highly esteemed, and most intimately connected 

 with Boerhaave, and the other eminent men whose 

 names at that period conferred lustre on the Uni- 

 versity of Leyden. He was also an ardent admirer 

 cf the fine arts, associating much with those who 



