Happy in this toil when he was well, for it was all about what was entirely new and previously unknown, he often laboured on, when he was ill, with “sighs and tears.” Naturally sensitive, pious, and very amiable, he at one time quite gave up his work under the influence of a remarkable woman, Antoinette Bourignon. She was a wealthy, well-educated person, extremely plain, and who believed that a mission had been given her to preach according to her own fancies, and not in accordance with the general doctrines of the age. She seems to have stimulated Swammerdam to lead a purely religious life, and to give up his studies. It was the age of sects and of intolerance; and possibly the disagreeable reception which this certainly very good woman met with, made the man care more about her peculiar tenets. He began, seriously, to try and sell his collections, made catalogues of his possessions, and corresponded with Antoinette. While various negotiations were pending, Swammerdam published the results of his ten years’ labour and the “Anatomy of the Day Fly,” a great work, and his best. Then he went on a journey into Denmark to use his influence with the king in order to get Antoinette a home in that kingdom, the Lutherans of Holland having ordered her to leave their country. He was not successful; and probably this affair made a great commotion at home. On Swammerdam’s return, his father, enraged at him for his utter carelessness about earning money and his want of application to business, determined to allow him only a small sum of money to live upon. He was in utter despair, for this prevented his following his wish to lead, for the future, a life of meditation and religion. The father died soon afterwards, and a lawsuit was commenced by the family to prevent Swammerdam having his share of the property. This trouble brought on illness, and severe ague followed, and, although recovery took place, the sensitive, able man sank soon afterwards. Swammerdam made an epoch in zoology by showing the value of the microscope, and by his extreme exactitude in descriptions, drawings, and dissections. His contributions to human anatomy alone will always render his name illustrious.