Page:The Hunterian oration delivered in the theatre of the Royal College of Surgeons in London, on the fourteenth of February, 1833 (IA b21911952).pdf/20

20 and artless child of nature, little assisted by education, but indebted exclusively to the unparalleled strength, and high superiority of his mental endowments, for a celebrity as a surgeon, whieh during his life was unequalled, and since his death has remained without a rival.

Albert Von HaLien was the youngest of five sons. Even in childhood he evinced so strong a genius for literature, that at nine years of age he translated Greek, and was com- mencing the study of Hebrew. ‘The rapidity of his early progress, however, may perhaps, be attributable to his fa- ther’s having taken into his house, a private tutor; whose discipline appears to have been both active, and impressive ; for the accidental sight of him, at any subsequent period of life, never failed to excite in HaLLER very great un- easiness, renewing all his former terrors.

At eighteen, the reputation of the celebrated BOPRHAAVE drew him to Leyden ; where Ruysu still lived, and ALerus was rising into fame. Here he studied with intense ap- plieation; taking down the Lectures of BorrHAave assidu- ously (he says) for three suecessive seasons. After this, he first visited London, and then Paris. Were, however, his zeal in prosecuting his Anatomical studies, had like to have involved him in difficulty; and to avoid the chance of beg disseeted himself, he cut short his researches, by a preci- pitate retreat.

It is to be regretted, that when with all these advantages, he returned, at the age of twenty-six, to Berne, in Switzer- �