Degree in Philofophy; and on that Occafion difcuffed the important and arduous Queftion of the diftinct Natures of the Soul and Body, with fuch Accuracy, Perfpicuity, and Subtilty, that he entirely confuted all the Sophiftry of Epicurus, Hobbes, and Spinofa, and equally raised the Character of his Piety and Erudition.

Divinity was ftill his great Employment, and the chief Aim of all his Studies. He read the Scriptures in their original Languages; and when Difficulties occurred, confulted the Interpretations of the most ancient Fathers, whom he read in order of Time, beginning with Clemens Romanus.

In the Perufal of thofe early Writers, he was ftruck with the profoundest Veneration for the Simplicity and Purity of their Doctrine, the Holinefs of their Lives, and the Sanctity of the Discipline practised by them; but as he defcended to the lower Ages, he found the Peace of Chriftianity broken by useless Controverfies, and its Doctrines fophifticated by the Subtilties of the Schools. He found the Holy Writers interpreted according to the Notions of Philofophers, and the Chimeras of Metaphyficians adopted as Articles of Faith. He found Difficulties raised by idle Curiofity, and fomented to Bitterness and Rancour. He faw the Simplicity of the Chriftian Doctrine corrupted by the private Notions of particular Parties, of which each adhered to its own Philofophy, and Orthodoxy was confined to the Sect in Power.

Having now exhausted his Fortune in the Purfuit of his Studies, he found the Neceffity of applying to fome Profeffion, that, without engroffing all his Time, might enable him to fupport himself: and having obtained a very uncommon Knowledge of the Mathematicks, he read Lectures in thofe Sciences to a felect Number of young Gentlemen in the Univerfity.

At length his Propenfion to the Study of Phyfic grew too violent to be refifted; and though he ftill intended to make Divinity the great Employment of his Life, he could not deny himfelf the Satisfaction of fpending fome Time upon the medicinal Writers, for the perufal of which he was fo well qualified by his Acquaintance with the Mathematics and Philofophy.

But this Science correfponded fo much with his natural Genius, that he could not forbear making that his Business, which he intended only as his Diverfion; and still growing more eager, as he advanced further, he at length determined wholly to master that Profeffion, and to take his Degree in Phyfic, before he engaged in the Duties of the Ministry.

It is, I believe, a very just Observation, that Mens Ambition is generally proportioned to their Capacity. Providence seldom fends any into the World with an Inclination to attempt great Things, who have not Abilities likewife to perform them. To have formed the Defign of gaining a competent Knowledge in Medicine by way of Digreffion from theological Studies, would have been little lefs than Madness in moft Men, and would have expofed them to Ridicule and Contempt: But Boerhaave was one of those mighty Capacities to whom scarce any Thing appears impoffible, and who think nothing worthy of their Efforts but what appears infurmountable to common Understandings.

He began this new Courfe of Study by a diligent Perufal of Verfalius, Bartholine, and Fallopius; and to acquaint himself more fully with the Structure of Bodies, was a conftant Attendant upon Nuck's public Diffections in the Theatre, and himself very accurately inspected the Bodies of different Animals.

Having furnished himself with this preparatory Knowledge, he began to read the ancient Phyficians in the Order of Time, pursuing his Inquiries downwards

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wards from Hippocrates through all the Greek and Latin Writers.

Finding, as he tells himfelf, that Hippocrates was the original Source of all medicinal Knowledge, and that all the later Writers were little more than Tranfcribers from him, he returned to him with more Attention, and spent much Time in making Extracts from him, digefting his Treatifes into Method, and fixing them in his Memory.

He then defcended to the Moderns, among whom none engaged him longer, or improved him more, than Sydenham, to whole Merits he has left this Atteftation; that he frequently perufed him; and always with greater Eagerness.

His infatiable Curiofity after Knowledge engaged him now in the Practice of Chymiftry, which he profecuted with all the Ardor of a Philofopher, whofe Iuduftry was not to be wearied, and whofe Love of Truth was too itrong to fuffer him to acquiefce in the Reports of others.

Yet di he not suffer one Branch of Science to withdraw his Attention from others; Anatomy did not withold him from the Profecution of Chymistry, nor Chymistry, enchanting as it is, from the Study of Botany. He was not only a careful Examiner of all the Plants in the Garden of the University, but made Excurfions, for his further Improvement, into the Woods and Fields, and left no Place unvifited where any Increase of botanical Knowledge could be reasonably hoped for.

In Conjunction with all thefe Enquiries, he ftill purfued his theological Studies; and still, as we are informed by himfelf, propofed, when he had made himfelf Mafter of the whole Art of Phyfic, and obtained the Honor of a Degree in that Science, to petition regularly for a Licence to preach, and to engage in the Cure of Souls; and intended, in his theological Exercises, to difcufs this Question; Why fo ⚫ many

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many were formerly converted to Chriflianity by illiterate Perfons, and fo few at prefent by Men ⚫ of Learning.'

In Pursuance of their Plan he went to Hardwick, in order to take the Degree of Doctor in Phyfic, which he obtained in July 1693, having performed a public Difputation, De Utilitate explorand.rum excrementorum in Egris, ut Signorum.

Then returning to Leyden full of his pious Defign of undertaking the Miniftry, he found, to his Surprize unexpected Obftacles thrown in his Way, and an Infinuation difperfed through the University, that made him fufpected, not of any flight Deviation from received Opinions, not of any pertinacious Adherence to his own Notions in doubtful and difputable Matters, but of no lefs than Spinofilm; or in plainer Terms, of Atheifm itself.

How fo injurious a Report came to be raised, circulated and credited, will be doubtlefs very eagerly inquired, and an exact Relation of the Affair will not only fatisfy the Curiofity of Mankind, but fhew that no Merit, however exalted, is exempt from being not only attacked, but wounded, by the most contemptible Whispers. Those who cannot ftrike with Force, can however poifon their Weapon, and weak as they are give mortal Wounds, and bring a Hero to the Grave: so true is that Obfervation, that many are able to do Hurt, but few to do Good.

This deteftable Calumny owed its Rise to an Incident from which no Confequence of Importance could be reafonably apprehended. As Boerhaave was fitting in a common Boat, there arose a Converfation among the Paffengers upon the impious and pernicious Doctrine of Spinofa, which as they all agreed tends to the utter Overthrow of all Religion. Boerhaave fat and filently attended to this Difcourfe for fome Time, till one of the Company, willing to diftinguish himself by his Zeal, inftead

of confuting the Pofitions of Spinofa by Argument, began to give a Locfe to contumelious Language and virulent Invectives, with which Boerhaave was fo little pleafed, that at laft he could not forbear afking him, "Whether he had ever read the Author against whom he declaimed?"

The Orator not being able to make much Anfwer, was check'd-in the Midft of his Invectives, but not without feeling a fecret Refentment against him who at once interrupted his Harangue and expofed his Ignorance.

This was obferved by a Stranger who was in the Boat with them: he inquired of his Neighbour the Name of the young Man, whofe Queftion had put an End to the Difcourfe; and having learned it, fet it down in his Pocket Book, as it foon appeared with a malicious Defign; for in a few Days, it was the common Converfation at Leyden, that Boerhaave had revolted to Spinofa.

It was in vain that his Advocates and Friends pleaded his learned and unanfwerable Confutation of all atheistical Opinions, and particularly of the Syftem of Spinofa, in his Difcourfe of the Diftruction between Soul and Body; fuch Calumnies are not eafily fuppreffed, when they are once become general: They are kept alive and fupported by the Malice of bad, and fometimes by the Zeal of good Men who, though they do not abfolutely believe them, think it yet the fureft Method, to keep not only guilty, but fufpected Men out of public Employments, upon, this Principle, that the Safety of many is to be preferred before the Advantage of a few.

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Boerhaave finding this formidable Oppofition raised against bis Pretenfions to ecclefiaftical Honours and Preferments, and even against his Defign of affuming the Character of a Divine, thought it neither neceffary nor prudent to firuggle with the Tor

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