ENTHUSIASM OF SWAMMERDAM. 11 



part of the production. It is amply adorned with figures, 

 many of them amusing too, from their very imperfection. 

 Some of the greatest men are, perhaps, to be found among 

 those who pursue little objects, those, we mean, held as 

 little in general estimation; such people are great in their 

 discernment to discover the real worth of what is commonly 

 despised, and they are greater still in their independence of 

 spirit to follow up objects whose pursuit exposes them to 

 ridicule, and whose attainment is little likely to bring them 

 admiration or repute. Well, in the 17th century, several 

 gifted individuals, in this sense very great, appeared and took 

 neglected Entomology by the hand. Chief among these were 

 the English Ray and the Dutch Swammerdam. Insects were 

 then found capable of exciting enthusiastic energy, incompa- 

 rable patience, and fervent piety. " Oh," says Swammerdam, 

 while studying for his work on the habits and structure of 

 Bees, " Oh, for one year of continued light and heat, that I 

 might work without interruption !" Such was his enthusiasm. 

 In his admirable dissection of Insect anatomy he has left a 

 record of his perseverance, equalled, however, by Boerhaave, 

 who could employ a whole day in clearing one Caterpillar 

 from its fat, and by Lyonnet, who counted 1804 aerial tubes 

 in the body of another, whose structure formed the chief study 

 of his life; and for piety, that of Swammerdam finds ardent 

 expression in the following apostrophe, drawn forth by the 

 wonder and beauty of those divine mechanisms which patience 

 had laid open to his own and others' observation : " Oh 

 God!" he exclaims, "how Thy works infinitely surpass the 

 reach of our feeble understandings ; all that we actually know 

 of Thee, or ever can, is but a faint and lifeless shadow of Thy 

 adorable perfections, in contemplation of which the brightest 

 understandings grow bewildered !" With the same feelings, 

 inspired by similar objects, our venerable Ray composed his 

 work called " The Wisdom of God manifested in the Works 

 of Creation." And again, it was the interest excited by 



