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 not too much； about poor
old Galen； and his substitution of an ape's inside for that of a human being。
The storm which had been long gathering burst upon him。 The old
school； trembling for their time…honoured reign； bespattered； with all that
pedantry； ignorance； and envy could suggest； the man who dared not only
to revolutionise surgery； but to interfere with the privileged mysteries of
medicine； and； over and above； to bee a greater favourite at the court
of the greatest of monarchs。 While such as Eustachius； himself an able
discoverer； could join in the cry； it is no wonder if a lower soul； like that of
Sylvius； led it open…mouthed。 He was a mean； covetous； bad man； as
George Bachanan well knew； and； according to his nature； he wrote a
furious book 〃Ad Vesani calumnias depulsandas。〃 The punning change
of Vesalius into Vesanus （madman） was but a fair and gentle stroke for a
polemic； in days in which those
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