Be these things as they may--and the exact truth of them will now be
never known--Vesalius set out to Jerusalem in the spring of 1564. On his
way he visited his old friends at Venice to see about his book against
Fallopius. The Venetian republic received the great philosopher with
open arms. Fallopius was just dead; and the senate offered their guest
the vacant chair of anatomy. He accepted it: but went on to the East.
He never occupied that chair; wrecked upon the Isle of Zante, as he was
sailing back from Palestine, he died miserably of fever and want, as
thousands of pilgrims returning from the Holy Land had died before him. A
goldsmith recognised him; buried him in a chapel of the Virgin; and put
up over him a simple stone, which remained till late years; and may
remain, for aught I know, even now.
So perished, in the prime of life, "a martyr to his love of science," to
quote the words of M. Burggraeve of Ghent, his able biographer and
commentator, "the prodigious man, who created a science at an epoch when
everything was still an obstacle to his progress; a man whose whole life
was a long struggle of knowledge against ignorance, of truth against
lies."
Plaudite: Exeat: with Rondelet and Buchanan. And whensoever this poor
foolish world needs three such men, may God of his great mercy send them.
Footnotes
{15} 9, Adam Street, Adelphi, London.
{72} I quote from the translation of the late lamented Philip Stanhope
Worsley, of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
{76} Odyssey, book vi. 127-315; vol. i. pp. 143-150 of Mr. Worsley's
translation.
{88} Since this essay was written, I have been sincerely delighted to
find that my wishes had been anticipated at Girton College, near
Cambridge, and previously at Hitchin, whence the college was removed: and
that the wise ladies who superintend that establishment propose also that
most excellent institution--a swimming bath. A paper, moreover, read
before the London Association of Schoolmistresses in 1866, on "Physical
Exercises and Recreation for Girls," deserves all attention. May those
who promote such things prosper as they deserve.
{256} For an account of Sorcery and Fetishism among the African Negros,
see Burton's 'Lake Regions of Central Africa,' vol. ii. pp. 341-360.
{304} An arcade in the King's School, Chester.
{328} So says Dr. Irving, writing in 1817. I have, however, tried in
vain to get a sight of this book. I need not tell Scotch scholars how
much I am indebted throughout this article to Dr. David living's erudite
second edition of Buchanan's Life.
{343} From the quaint old translation of 1721, by "A Person of Honour of
the Kingdom of Scotland."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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