historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)
seemed not to have effected。 Philip sent into the prince’s chamber
several of the precious relics which he usually carried about with him。
The miraculous image of the Virgin of Atocha； in embroidering garments
for whom； Spanish royalty； male and female； has spent so many an hour
ere now； was brought in solemn procession and placed on an altar at the
foot of the prince’s bed； and in the afternoon there entered； with a
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procession likewise； a shrine containing the bones of a holy anchorite； one
Fray Diego； 〃whose life and miracles；〃 says Olivarez； 〃are so notorious：〃
and the bones of St。 Justus and St。 Pastor； the tutelar saints of the
university of Alcala。 Amid solemn litanies the relics of Fray Diego were
laid upon the prince’s pillow； and the sudarium； or mortuary cloth； which
had covered his face； was placed upon the prince’s forehead。
Modern science might object that the presence of so many personages；
however pious or well intentioned； in a sick chamber on a hot Spanish
May day； especially as the bath had been； for some generations past； held
in religious horror throughout Spain； as a sign of Moorish and Mussulman
tendencies； might have somewhat interfered with the chances of the poor
boy’s recovery。 Nevertheless the event seems to have satisfied Philip’s
highest hopes； for that same night （so Don Carlos afterwards related） the
holy monk Diego appeared to him in a vision； wearing the habit of St。
Francis； and bearing in his hand a cross of reeds tied with a green band。
The prince stated that he first took the apparition to be that of the blessed
St。 Francis； but not seeing the stigmata； he exclaimed； 〃How？ Dost thou
not bear the marks of the wounds？〃 What he replied Don Carlos did not
recollect； save that he consoled him； and told him that he should not die of
that malady。
Philip had returned to Madrid； and shut himself up in grief in the great
Jeronymite monastery。 Elizabeth was praying for her step…son before the
miraculous images of the same city。 During the night of the 9th of May
prayers went up for Don Carlos in all the churches of Toledo； Alcala； and
Madrid。 Alva stood all that night at the bed’s foot。 Don Garcia de
Toledo sat in the arm…chair； where he had now sat night and day for more
than a fortnight。 The good preceptor； Honorato Juan； afterwards Bishop
of Osma； wrestled in prayer for the lad the whole night through。 His
prayer was answered： probably it had been answered already； without
his being aware of it。 Be that as it may； about dawn Don Carlos’s heavy
breathing ceased； he fell into a quiet sleep； and when he awoke all
perceived at once that he was saved。
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He did not recover his sight； seemingly on account of the erysipelas；
for a week more。 He then opened his eyes upon the miraculous image of
Atocha； and vowed that； if he recovered； he would give to the Virgin； at
four different shrines in Spain； gold plate of four times his weight； and
silver plate of seven times his weight； when he should rise from his couch。
So on the 6th of June he rose； and was weighed in a fur coat and a robe of
damask； and his weight was three arrobas and one poundseventy…six
pounds in all。 On the 14th of June he went to visit his father at the
episcopal palace； then to all the churches and shrines in Alcala； and of
course to that of Fray Diego； whose body it is said he contemplated for
some time with edifying devotion。 The next year saw Fray Diego
canonised as a saint； at the intercession of Philip and his son； and thus Don
Carlos re…entered the world； to be a terror and a torment to all around him；
and to dienot by Philip’s cruelty； as his enemies reported too hastily
indeed； yet excusably； for they knew him to be capable of any wickedness…
…but simply of constitutional insanity。
And now let us go back to the history of 〃that most learned； famous；
and rare Baron Vesalius；〃 who had stood by and seen all these things done；
and try if we cannot； after we have learned the history of his early life；
guess at some of his probable meditations on this celebrated clinical case；
and guess also how those meditations may have affected seriously the
events of his afterlife。
Vesalius （as I said） was a Netherlander； born at Brussels in 1513 or
1514。 His father and grandfather had been medical men of the highest
standing in a profession which then； as now； was monly hereditary。
His real name was Wittag； an ancient family of Wesel； on the Rhine； from
which town either he or his father adopted the name of Vesalius； according
to the classicising fashion of those days。 Young Vesalius was sent to
college at Louvain； where he learned rapidly。 At sixteen or seventeen he
knew not only Latin； but Greek enough to correct the proofs of Galen； and
Arabic enough to bee acquainted with the works of the Mussulman
physicians。 He was a physicist too； and a mathematician； according to
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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 st