Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 47.djvu/121

Rh was banishment from town for a term of years, and deprivation of academic privileges.

After receiving his philosophical degree, Boerhaave entered upon his theological studies. He delighted, he tells us, in the primitive fathers, whom he highly reverenced for the purity and simplicity of their doctrine, for the sanctity of their instruction, and for the perfection of their lives, dedicated to God; but he had no patience with the efforts of the schoolmen to make the sacred writings conform to the metaphysical abstractions of Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Scotus, and Descartes, with the confusion ensuing, and with an outcome, as he regarded it, contrary to peace with God and man. Independent judgment, it may be stated, was not favorably regarded in those days by the orthodox in Holland.

Meantime, to aid in his support, Boerhaave received a small number of pupils for private instruction, and, contemporaneously with his religious exercises, he took up the study of anatomy as a diversion. To him the works of Vesalius, of Fallopius, and of Bartholin were of absorbing interest. He attended likewise the dissections of Prof. Nuck, and with the true scientific spirit, eager for personal observation, he frequented slaughterhouses, and sought to increase his knowledge by vivisections. Anatomy was then to the student a revelation, and not a compulsory task. Chemistry, too, with the hopes it inspired of new and wonderful discoveries, filled him with splendid dreams.

Thus it came to pass that while loyal to his father's wish that he should devote his life to the ministry, and though still believing that his duty lay in that direction, he decided that he would, in addition to his theological studies, take a degree in medicine. For that purpose he entered the University of Harder wick, and in July, 1693, was made a Doctor of Physic. There now occurred to him one of those accidents which happen to most men at some time in their career by which the nature of their life's work is determined for them independently of their volition. On his way home from Harderwick a discussion was started on the passage-boat about the doctrines of Spinoza as subversive of all religion. Now, the universal education which was the glory of Holland bred a goodly number of blatherskites as well as famous scholars. One of the former was filling the air with loud invectives against the great philosopher; whereupon Boerhaave quietly asked him whether he had ever inspected the works of the author he decried. The clamorous orator, Burton tells us, was struck dumb. Inquiry was at once made as to the name of the troublesome student, and, after their arrival in Leyden, it was soon current gossip that Boerhaave had become a Spinozist. Strong opposition was organized to his receiving a license to