sive tractatus de naturali veritate hexæmeri Mosaici, &c." In this he attempts, from the scriptural account of the creation, to explain the manner in which the world was formed. His theory, though founded upon conjecture, and loaded with unphilosophical fictions, the author not only pretends to derive from the Mosaic narrative, but maintains to have been consonant to the most ancient Hebrew traditions. Though the work seems to have been altogether the offspring of a confused imagination, yet it was in such demand as to be printed again at Rotterdam in 1703, in 4to. and at Leoburg, 1705, 12mo. He also left a Latin manuscript "On the Grecian Games."

ISBRAND DE DIEMBROECK

Was born at Montfort, in the neighbourhood of Utrecht, Dec. 13, 1609. After taking his degree of Doctor in Medicine at Angers, he went to Nimeguen in 1636, and continued there through that and the following years, practising during the plague, which all that time raged with great violence. This furnished him with observations on the nature and treatment of that disease, which he published at Amsterdam, in 1644, 4to.; but as he pursued the injudicious plan of keeping the patients in close apartments, and gave them heating medicines, his practice was probably not so successful as his book, which has passed through many editions. In 1642 he went to Utrecht, and was made Professor Extraordinary in Medicine. His lectures in medicine,

and in anatomy, procured him great credit, and were no less useful to the University, drawing thither a great conflux of pupils. In 1651, he was made Professor; he was also twice appointed Rector of the University, and continued in high esteem to the time of his death, which happened Nov. 17, 1674. His funeral oration was pronounced by the learned Grævius.

REMBERT DODONEUS.

Dodonæus is recorded to have excelled in a knowledge of the history of his own country, and especially in genealogical inquiries, as well as in medicine. His chief fame at present rests on his botanical publications, particularly his "Pemptades," or 30 books of the history of plants, in 1 vol. folio, published at Antwerp in 1583, and again in 1612 and 1616. This is still a book of general reference on account of the wooden cuts, which are numerous and expressive. Haller reckons it "a good and useful work, though not of the first rate."

CHARLES DRELINCOURT.

He was a lover of Greek literature, and like his countryman, Guy Patin, an enemy to the introduction of chemical preparations into medicine, which were much used in his time. He was also a strong opponent to his colleague Sylvius. Bayle has given him a high character. As a man he describes him benevolent, friendly, pious, and charitable; as a scholar, versed in the Greek and Latin tongues, and in all polite literature, in as high a degree as if he

had never applied himself to any thing else; as a Professor of Physic, clear and exact in his method of reading lectures, and of a skill in anatomy universally admired; as an author, one whose writings are of an original and inimitable character.

Sir JAMES EARLE, F. R.S.

Some circumstances attending Sir James Earle's death very much resemble those of Dr. Hunter. "The latter moments of whose life," says his biographer, "exhibited an instance of philosophical calmness and fortitude that well deserves to be recorded. Turning to his friend, Dr. Combe, "If I had strength enough to hold a pen," said he, "I would write how easy and pleasant a thing it is to die." The last act of Sir James Earle's life, was to resign the honorable office of Governor of the College of Surgeons, which he did the day before he died. Having composedly written a letter of resignation, which he entrusted to Mr. Norris, and having arranged with him every thing connected with public business, he said, "I have now finished all that relates to this life; it only remains to wait patiently the hour of death, which I feel cannot be far off, and if it pleases God this night, so much the better."

Sir James Earle is entitled to professional distinction as a writer; his treatises on the Hydrocele and on the Stone, and his notes on Pott's works, are the result of accurate observation and extensive practice.

Whatever difference of opinion may exist as to the principle on which Earle's mode effects the cure of the Hydrocele, there can be none as to its superi

ority over all other operations. The universality of its adoption, the facility with which it is performed, and the comparatively slight suffering of the patient, justifies the calling it "one of the most perfect operations in surgery."

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His treatise on Lithotomy affords practical, useful, and important hints; and his dexterity is evinced by a singular record of success. My first operation," says Sir James, "was in the year 1770, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, after which I occasionally performed it, in the absence of the principal Surgeons, till 1776, when, from the accidental inability of Mr. Crane, the operative part of his duty devolved upon me; from that time I have operated on one third of all the Stone patients who have been received into that house, besides many in private. In the earliest part of that period, not foreseeing that I should one day wish to recollect them, I was not attentive to make memoranda of every case which occurred; I have an account of 47, but the total amount, unfortunately, I have no means of ascertaining. However, I feel the greatest possible satisfaction in being able to declare, that of all the patients I have ever cut for the Stone, in public or in private, one only did not recover! and as there were peculiarities in the case of that person, in justice to the operation they should be noticed.

"Among the number of patients also, as may be supposed, were many bad subjects, from age and from constitution, as I do not know that I ever rejected one: yet out of them all, I repeat, that this young man alone did not recover."

This account was published 1796, making a period of twenty-six years.

ELDRIDGE.

Formerly a cut finger was not allowed to heal without "FRIAR'S BALSAM," which, for a long time, was supposed to rival the renowned " BALSAM OF FIRABRAS."

"What balsam is that? said Sancho Pança. It is a balsam, answered Don Quixote, of which I have the receipt by heart; and he that has it need not fear death, nor so much as think of dying by any wound. And therefore, when I shall have made it, and given it you, all you will have to do is, when you see me in some battle cleft asunder, to take up fair and softly that part of my body which shall fall to the ground, and, with the greatest nicety, before the blood is congealed, place it upon the other half that shall remain in the saddle, taking especial care to make them tally exactly. Then you must immediately give me to drink only two draughts of the balsam aforesaid, and then you will see me become sounder than any apple!"

EVERARD.

What would Everard have thought of a modern Physician, who believed that the brain of immoderate smokers became incrusted with a fuliginous matter, similar to soot in a chimney? or of a medical writer who asserts that, in twenty-five years practice, a great number of cases of Paralysis have come under his notice; in all of which, or far the greater part, the men were smokers and the women snuff-takers!!