LIFE AND WORKS OF NICOLAUS STENO 



XI 



sions. He lived a very frugal life, spending all he could spare to help 

 the poor, and sacrificing his time and his strength in the cause of reli* 

 gion. In the early winter of 1679Johann Friedrich died, being succeeded 

 by his Protestantic brother, Ernst August. It now became impossible 

 for Steno to remain any longer in Hanover, and in the spring of 1680 

 he settled in Munster as the Suffragan Bishop of the Bishop of Mun* 

 ster, Ferdinand, Baron von Furstenberg. His income was not so large 

 as it had been in Hanover, so he sold all his property and lived still 

 more frugally in order to be able to help the poor, especially those 

 lately converted to Catholicism. He performed numerous divine sers 

 vices, made troublesome journeys round the neighbourhood and 

 fasted strictly. By his pious life he also here succeeded in impressing 

 many people; the admiration for him increased, but with it the envy, 

 and by his extreme zeal he made numerous enemies. 



When Steno had lived for three years in Munster, the Bishop died; 

 so he left and went to Hamburgh, which likewise belonged to his 

 vicariate. He lived there for two years, in the utmost poverty. He 

 kept no servants, he fasted most of the days of the week and wore 

 ragged and filthy clothes. He did nothing to live up to his rank, did 

 not even wear his clerical suit and spent everything on the poor, 

 working so ardently for the benefit of Catholicism that he made 

 himself hated even by the Catholics, who threatened to cut off his ears 

 and drive him from the town as a criminal. 



To further minister the cause of his Church Steno left Hamburgh 

 for Schwerin, where he worked under circumstances, which were, if 

 possible, still more distressing, and here he died in unspeakable mise* 

 ry, forty*eight years old. The Grand* Duke of Tuscany had his body 

 conveyed to Florence, where it was deposited in the crypt of St. Lorenzo. 



Munster 



1680- 



1683. 



Hamburgh 



1683- 



1685. 



Schwerin 



1685- 



1686. 



II 



As for the material, which Steno used as the basis of his researches, 

 he was nearly always indebted to circumstances; he very seldom ap* 

 pears to have chosen it of his own accord. Thus, in his early days in 

 Holland he was reduced to dissect such animals, or parts of animals, 

 which he could get in the cheapest and easiest way. Later on in 

 Florence Steno generally made his examinations on animals, which 

 the Grand*Duke thought curious and therefore sent to him; or he 

 made his geological researches in parts, to where he came in the train 

 of the Grand*Duke. Also during the two years, which Steno spent in 

 Copenhagen as Anatomicus Regius, he again had to use the material, 

 which chance offered to him. Partly because his material was gene* 



