historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)
the operation； but to the intercession of Fray； now Saint Diego； ｛12｝ and
he must have had his thoughts thereon； and may； in an unguarded moment；
have spoken them。
For he was； be it always remembered； a Netherlander。 The crisis of
his country was just at hand。 Rebellion was inevitable； and； with
rebellion； horrors unutterable； and； meanwhile； Don Carlos had set his
mad brain on having the mand of the Netherlands。 In his rage； at not
having it； as all the world knows； he nearly killed Alva with his own hands；
some two years after。 If it be true that Don Carlos felt a debt of gratitude
to Vesalius； he may （after his wont） have poured out to him some wild
confidence about the Netherlands； to have even heard which would be a
crime in Philip’s eyes。 And if this be but a fancy； still Vesalius was； as I
just said； a Netherlander； and one of a brain and a spirit to which Philip’s
doings； and the air of the Spanish court； must have been growing ever
more and more intolerable。 Hundreds of his country folk； perhaps men
and women whom he had known； were being racked； burnt alive； buried
alive； at the bidding of a jocular ruffian； Peter Titelmann； the chief
86
… Page 87…
Historical Lectures and Essays
inquisitor。 The 〃day of the MAUBRULEZ；〃 and the wholesale massacre
which followed it； had happened but two years before； and； by all the
signs of the times； these murders and miseries were certain to increase。
And why were all these poor wretches suffering the extremity of horror；
but because they would not believe in miraculous images； and bones of
dead friars； and the rest of that science of unreason and unfact； against
which Vesalius had been fighting all his life； consciously or not； by using
reason and observing fact？ What wonder if； in some burst of noble
indignation and just contempt； he forgot a moment that he had sold his
soul； and his love of science likewise； to be a luxurious； yet uneasy；
hanger…on at the tyrant’s court； and spoke unadvisedly some word worthy
of a German man？
As to the story of his unhappy quarrels with his wife； there may be a
grain of truth in it likewise。 Vesalius’s religion must have sat very lightly
on him。 The man who had robbed churchyards and gibbets from his
youth was not likely to be much afraid of apparitions and demons。 He
had handled too many human bones to care much for those of saints。 He
was probably； like his friends of Basle； Montpellier； and Paris； somewhat
of a heretic at heart； probably somewhat of a pagan； while his lady； Anne
van Hamme； was probably a strict Catholic； as her father； being a
councillor and master of the exchequer at Brussels； was bound to be； and
freethinking in the husband； crossed by superstition in the wife； may have
caused in them that wretched vie e part； that want of any true munion
of soul； too mon to this day in Catholic countries。
Be these things as they mayand the exact truth of them will now be
never knownVesalius set out to Jerusalem in the spring of 1564。 On his
way he visited his old friends at Venice to see about his book against
Fallopius。 The Venetian republic received the great philosopher with
open arms。 Fallopius was just dead； and the senate offered their guest the
vacant chair of anatomy。 He accepted it： but went on to the East。
He never occupied that chair； wrecked upon the Isle of Zante； as he
was sailing back from Palestine； he died miserably of fever and want； as
87
… Page 88…
Historical Lectures and Essays
thousands of pilgrims returning from the Holy Land had died before him。
A goldsmith recognised him； buried him in a chapel of the Virgin； and put
up over him a simple stone； which remained till late years； and may
remain； for aught I know； even now。
So perished； in the prime of life； 〃a martyr to his love of science；〃 to
quote the words of M。 Burggraeve of Ghent； his able biographer and
mentator； 〃the prodigious man； who created a science at an epoch
when everything was still an obstacle to his progress； a man whose whole
life was a long struggle of knowledge against ignorance； of truth against
lies。〃
Plaudite： Exeat： with Rondelet and Buchanan。 And
whensoever this poor foolish world needs three such men； may God of His
great mercy send them。
88
… Page 89…
Historical Lectures and Essays
PARACELSUS ｛13｝
I told you of Vesalius and Rondelet as specimens of the men who three
hundred years ago were founding the physical science of the present day；
by patient investigation of facts。 But such an age as this would naturally
produce men of a very different stamp； men who could not imitate their
patience and humility； who were trying for royal roads to knowledge； and
to the fame and wealth which might be got out of knowledge； who
meddled with vain dreams about the occult sciences； alchemy； astrology；
magic； the cabala； and so forth； who were reputed magicians； courted and
feared for awhile； and then； too often； died sad deaths。
Such had been； in the century before； the famous Dr。 FaustFaustus；
who was said to have made a pact with Satanactually one of the
inventors of printingimmortalised in Goethe’s marvellous poem。
Such； in the first half of the sixteenth century； was Cornelius Agrippa
a doctor of divinity and a knight…at…arms； secret…service diplomatist to the
Emperor Maximilian in Austria； astrologer； though unwilling； to his
daughter Margaret； Regent of the Low Countries； writer on the occult
sciences and of the famous 〃De Vanitate Scientiarum；〃 and what not？ who
died miserably at the age of forty… nine； accused of magic by the
Dominican monks from whom he had rescued a poor girl； who they were
torturing on a charge of witchcraft； and by them hunted to death； nor to
death only； for they spread the fablesuch as you may find in Delrio the
Jesuit’s 〃Disquisitions on Magic〃 ｛14｝that his little pet black dog was a
familiar spirit； as Butler has it in 〃Hudibras〃：
Agrippa kept a Stygian pug I’ the garb and habit of a dog … That was
his taste； and the cur Read to th’ occult philosopher； And taught him subtly
to maintain All other sciences are vain。
Such also was Jerome Cardan； the Italian scholar and physician； the
89
… Page 90…
Historical Lectures and Essays
father of algebraic science （you all recollect Cardan’s rule；） believer in
dreams； prognostics； astrology； who died； too； miserably enough； in old
age。
Cardan’s sad life； and that of Cornelius Agrippa； you can； and ought to
read for yourselves； in two admirable biographies； as amusing as they are
learned； by Professor Morley； of the London University。 I have not
chosen either of them as a subject for this lecture； because Mr。 Morley has
so exhausted what is to be known about them； that I could tell you nothing
which I had not stolen from him。
But what shall I say of the most famous of these menParacelsus？
whose name you surely know。 He too has been immortalised in a poem
which you all ought to have read； one of Robert Browning’s earliest and
one of his best creations。
I think we must accept as true Mr。 Browning’s interpretation of
Paracelsus’s character。 We must believe that he was at first an honest and
high…minded； as he was certainly a most gifted； man； that he went forth
into the world； with an intense sense of the worthlessness of the sham
knowledge of the pedants and quacks of the schools； an intense belief that
some higher and truer science might be discovered； by which diseases
might be actually cured； and he