EXHAUSTED HEALTH. 131 



years of life, he had not engaged in any busi- 

 ness that could serve to render him easy and inde- 

 pendent." M. Swammerdam, senior, now seriously 

 remonstrated with him, and insisted on his apply- 

 ing with diligence to the duties of his profession as 

 a physician. It was, however, but too evident that 

 his health had become exhausted by his inces- 

 sant devotion to studies requiring the most intense 

 application, and it was judged expedient that he 

 should retire into the country for a time in order 

 to recruit his powers. Scarcely, however, was he 

 settled in his place of retirement than he resumed 

 his former pursuits, " the torrent of his genius 

 that way being so much favoured by the solitari- 

 ness of the place, and the favourable opportunity of 

 examining insects in their very haunts and scenes 

 of propagation." 



In the years 1671 and 1672, Swammerdam's 

 studies related principally to fishes and insects ; 

 and in the autumn of 1673, he completed his 

 examination of the structure of bees, and published 

 his treatise on those insects. 



This work proved, we are told, " so fatiguing that 

 he never after recovered even the appearance of his 

 former health and vigour." We shall not be sur- 

 prised at this melancholy result, when we learn 

 that he was " continually employed in making obser- 

 vations, and almost as constantly engaged by night 



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