business of life; and numerous other errors, from which his good sense and general intelligence, if left to themselves, would have sufficed to preserve him.
After his death, his museum was offered for sale for five thousand florins; but no one appearing to give even that sum, so far below its real value, it was disposed of in small lots. It was thus completely dispersed, and lost for ever to men of science. The anatomical preparations were very numerous, and he had carefully preserved every thing relating to his entomological and other investigations, that he might have them to appeal to as unquestionable vouchers of the truth of his statements. He had collected about three thousand different species of insects; many of the kinds occurring in his neighbourhood he had preserved in their various states, having been accustomed to hatch the eggs artificially, and watch the progressive changes of the larvae that spring from them. His instruments, microscopes, &c., shared the same fate with the objects on which they had been employed. Boerhaave deposited the manuscripts and drawings which came into his possession, and furnished him with materials for the Biblia Naturæ and an account of its author's life, in the public library of the University of Leyden, that they might remain as a monument to the talents and zeal of his distinguished countryman.
Considerable curiosity must naturally be felt to become acquainted with the means adopted by this lynx-eyed anatomist to effect those beautiful discoveries which distinguish his name so highly above
