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the knowledge of those times； but his passionthe study to which he was
destined to devote his lifewas anatomy。
Little or nothing （it must be understood） had been done in anatomy
since the days of Galen of Pergamos； in the second century after Christ；
and very little even by him。 Dissection was all but forbidden among the
ancients。 The Egyptians； Herodotus tells us； used to pursue with stones
and curses the embalmers as soon as they had performed their unpleasant
office； and though Herophilus and Erasistratus are said to have dissected
many subjects under the protection of Ptolemy Soter in Alexandria itself：
yet the public feeling of the Greeks as well as of the Romans continued the
same as that of the ancient Egyptians； and Galen was fainas Vesalius
provedto supplement his ignorance of the human frame by describing
that of an ape。 Dissection was equally forbidden among the Mussulmans；
and the great Arabic physicians could do no more than ment on Galen。
The same prejudice extended through the Middle Age。 Medical men
were all clerks； CLERICI； and as such forbidden to shed blood。 The only
dissection； as far as I am aware； made during the Middle Age was one by
Mundinus in 1306； and his subsequent mentaries on Galenfor he
dare allow his own eyes to see no more than Galen had seen before him
constituted the best anatomical manual in Europe till the middle of the
fifteenth century。
Then； in Italy at least； the classic Renaissance gave fresh life to
anatomy as to all other sciences。 Especially did the improvements in
painting and sculpture stir men up to a closer study of the human frame。
Leonardo da Vinci wrote a treatise on muscular anatomy。 The artist and
the sculptor often worked together； and realised that sketch of Michael
Angelo's in which he himself is assisting Fallopius； Vesalius's famous
pupil； to dissect。 Vesalius soon found that his thirst for facts could not be
slaked by the theories of the Middle Age； so in 1530 he went off to
Montpellier； where Francis I。 had just founded a medical school； and
where the ancient laws of the city allowed the faculty each year the body
of a criminal。 From thence； after being the fellow…pupil and the
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friend of Rondelet； and probably also of Rabelais and those other
luminaries of Montpellier； of whom I spoke in my essay on Rondelet； he
returned to Paris to study under old Sylvius； whose real name was Jacques
Dubois； alias Jock o' the Wood； and to learn lessas he plains himself…
…in an anatomical theatre than a butcher might learn in his shop。
Were it not that the whole question of dissection is one over which it is
right to draw a reverent veil； as a thing painful； however necessary and
however innocent； it would be easy to raise ghastly laughter in many a
reader by the stories which Vesalius himself tells of his struggles to learn
anatomy。 How old Sylvius tried to demonstrate the human frame from a
bit of a dog； fumbling in vain for muscles which he could not find； or
which ought to have been there； according to Galen； and were not； while
young Vesalius； as soon as the old pedant's back was turned； took his place；
and； to the delight of the students； found for himprovided it were there
what he could not find himself；how he went body…snatching and gibbet…
robbing； often at the danger of his life； as when he and his friend were
nearly torn to pieces by the cannibal dogs who haunted the Butte de
Montfaucon； or place of public execution；how he acquired； by a long
and dangerous process； the only perfect skeleton then in the world； and the
hideous story of the robber to whom it had belongedall these horrors
those who list may read for themselves elsewhere。 I hasten past them
with this remarkthat to have gone through the toils； dangers； and disgusts
which Vesalius faced； argued in a superstitious and cruel age like his； no
mon physical and moral courage； and a deep conscience that he was
doing right； and must do it at all risks in the face of a generation which；
peculiarly reckless of human life and human agony； allowed that frame
which it called the image of God to be tortured； maimed； desecrated in
every way while alive； and yetstraining at the gnat after having
swallowed the camelforbade it to be examined when dead； though for the
purpose of alleviating the miseries of mankind。
The breaking out of war between Francis I。 and Charles V。 drove
Vesalius back to his native country and Louvain； and in 1535 we hear of
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him as a surgeon in Charles V。's army。 He saw； most probably； the
Emperor's invasion of Provence； and the disastrous retreat from before
Montmorency's fortified camp at Avignon； through a country in which that
crafty general had destroyed every article of human food； except the half…
ripe grapes。 He saw； perhaps； the Spanish soldiers； poisoned alike by the
sour fruit and by the blazing sun； falling in hundreds along the white roads
which led back into Savoy； murdered by the peasantry whose homesteads
had been destroyed； stifled by the weight of their own armour； or
desperately putting themselves； with their own hands； out of a world
which had bee intolerable。 Half the army perished。 Two thousand
corpses lay festering between Aix and Frejus alone。 If young Vesalius
needed 〃subjects；〃 the ambition and the crime of man found enough for
him in those blazing September days。
He went to Italy； probably with the remnants of the army。 Where
could he have rather wished to find himself？ He was at last in the
country where the human mind seemed to be growing young once more；
the country of revived arts； revived sciences； learning； languages； and
though； alas！ only for awhile of revived free thought； such as Europe had
not seen since the palmy days of Greece。 Here at least he would be
appreciated； here at least he would be allowed to think and speak： and
he was appreciated。 The Italian cities； who were then； like the Athenians
of old； 〃spending their time in nothing else save to hear or to tell
something new；〃 weled the brave young Fleming and his novelties。
Within two years he was professor of anatomy at Padua； then the first
school in the world； then at Bologna and at Pisa at the same time； last of
all at Venice； where Titian painted that portrait of him which remains unto
this day。
These years were for him a continual triumph； everywhere； as he
demonstrated on the human body； students crowded his theatre； or hung
round him as he walked the streets； professors left their own chairstheir
scholars having deserted them alreadyto go and listen humbly or
enviously to the man who could give them what all brave souls throughout
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half Europe were craving for； and craving in vainfacts。 And so； year
after year； was realised that scene which stands engraved in the
frontispiece of his great bookwhere； in the little quaint Cinquecento
theatre； saucy scholars； reverend doctors； gay gentlemen； and even cowled
monks； are crowding the floor； peeping over each other's shoulders；
hanging on the balustrades； while in the centre； over his 〃subject〃which
one of those same cowled monks knew but too wellstands young
Vesalius； upright； proud； almost defiant； as one who knows himself safe in
the impregnable citadel of fact； and in his hand the little blade of steel；
destinedbecause wielded in obedience to the laws of nature； which are
the laws of Godto work more benefit for the human race than all the
swords which were drawn in those days； or perhaps in any other； at the
bidding of most Catholic Emperors and most Christian Kings。
Those were indeed days of triumph for Vesalius； of triumph deserved；
because earned by patient and accurate toil in a good cause： but
Vesalius； being but a mortal man； may have contracted in those same days
a temper of imperiousness and self…conceit； such as he showed afterwards
when his pupil Fallopius dared to add fresh discoveries to those of his
master。 And yet； in spite of all Vesalius knew； how little he knew！ How
humbling to his pride it would have been had he known thenperhaps he
does know nowthat he had actually again and again walked； as it were；
round and round the true theory of the circulation of the blood； and yet
never seen it； that that discovery which； once made； is intelligible； as far as
any phenomenon is intelligible； to the merest peasant； was reserved for
another century； and for one of those Englishmen on whom Vesalius
would have looked as semi…barbarians。
To make a long story short： three years after the publication of his
famous book； 〃De Corporis Humani Fabrica；〃 he left Venice to cure
Charles V。； at Regensburg； and became one of the great Emperor's
physicians。
This was the crisis of Vesalius's life。 The medicine with which he
had worked the cure was ChinaSarsaparilla； as we call it now brought
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home from the then newly…discovered banks of the Paraguay and Uruguay；
where its beds of tangled vine； they say； tinge the clear waters a dark…
brown like that of peat； and convert whole streams into a healthful and
pleasant tonic。 On the virtues of this China （then supposed to be a root）
Vesalius wrote a famous little book； into which he contrived to interweave
his opinions on things in general； as good Bishop Berkeley did afterwards
into his essay on the virtues of tar…water。 Into this book； however；
Vesalius introducedas Bishop Berkeley did notmuch； and perhaps too
much； about himself； and much； though perhaps