MEMOIR OF SWAMMERDAM. 
47 
the family strife that ensued, together with the anxiety 
he continually felt about his spiritual state, and his 
almost unintermitted devotional exercises, again 
brought on a severe disorder of that description called 
a double tertiau ague. During this long- continued 
illness, he was mostly confined to bed, and unfit for 
any exertion ; even when it w r as so far abated that air 
and exercise became desirable, he could not be pre- 
vailed on to leave his bed-chamber. In order to 
avoid the importunity of his friends on this subject, 
he persisted for a long time in maintaining an obstinate 
silence. In this moody and hypochondriacal state of 
mind, when any one attempted to draw his attention 
to the investigations which he formerly delighted in, 
he manifested great dissatisfaction, and even seemed 
as if he would feel relief by getting completely rid of 
the objects which he had taken such pains to collect 
and preserve. A final offer of them was made to 
Thevenot, that he might dispose of them in France, 
accompanied with an intimation, that, if he should 
succeed, Swammerdam would accept of his invitation 
to come and live with him, provided he w r ere allowed 
to do so retired and unknown. Thevenot, however, 
was unsuccessful ; and, as he now despaired of finding 
a purchaser for the entire collection, he determined 
to sell it by auction in separate lots, for such sums as 
might be offered. The sale was advertised to take 
place in the month of May, 1680. 
With whatever indifference Swammerdam might 
now regard his collection, he was not destined to 
witness its dispersion. His disorder returned with 
